Sweeter Than Fiction
by lostinmysticfalls
Summary: While filming their successful cable show The Blackout, Canadian actress Charlotte Matheson and Australian actor Sebastian Monroe discover that their friendship is evolving into something more. The blooming romance between their characters only adds to their confusion, leading them to accept a truth they'd been evading for almost two years. Charloe AU. No blackout.
1. Chapter 1

**I've never found it necessary to include a disclaimer in my works but I feel like it's almost required for this one, since I'll be teetering on the edge of reality and fiction. Please keep in mind that although some things in this story were inspired by real events, it's purely a work of fiction on my part. I hope you can all enjoy it for what it is and I look forward to hearing your thoughts.**

 **Dedicated to romeokijai whose prompt suggestion was the inspiration for this fic.  
**

* * *

 **Chapter One: Prelude to a Kiss**

* * *

Charlotte Matheson slammed the door of her black Audi, pressing the lock key on her remote as she walked up Venice Blvd. It was early in the morning and like every other day, she'd been up since dawn. _Who the hell schedules an interview at 6 AM?_ She'd thought about that the moment her alarm had gone off at four. _Damn those East Coast journalists._ The cast of her popular cable show, _The Blackout_ , was having a table read for the fifth episode of Season 3 later that day, and she'd made plans with her friend and costar, Sebastian Monroe to meet up for breakfast.

The headlines, credits and fans all knew them by their professional names, Charlotte and Sebastian, but to each other and to those close to them, they were simply Charlie and Bass.

Bass had recently relocated to Malibu but he still liked to venture down to his old neighborhood in Venice, CA. There was a cafe there that was one of his favorites, it was one of those spots where the ambience is better than the actual overpriced coffee, but Charlie didn't mind. She loved spending time with Bass. The two of them had gotten pretty close over the last season.

She walked to the back patio, finding him seated at one of the round tables with a pair of Ray-Bans covering his crystalline blue eyes. He was texting on his phone, probably getting in touch with his girlfriend, Duncan Paige. The two of them had been dating for about a year and a half, and she had been working on the set of _The Blackout_ as a makeup artist for a few months. If Charlie was being perfectly honest, she actually liked to pretend she didn't exist. The girl was a grade A bitch and everyone but Bass seemed to notice. She frankly didn't know what Bass saw in her—besides the fact that she was in all honestly, hot. Charlie always thought he could do way better.

"Hey!" She said, running her hand through her hair.

Bass looked up, smiling from ear to ear. He got up from the table and gave her a hug, pulling out the chair for her—always the gentleman.

"How's it going? Rough morning?" He asked, the words infused with that beautiful Australian accent of his.

Charlie frowned as she picked up the menu and began perusing it. "How many fucking times am I gonna get asked about my uncle, the 'legendary producer/director Miles Matheson' and his split from my mother, the 'infamous 80's Canadian actress, Rachel Porter' during interviews?" She sighed.

The tabloids had gone crazy when that story broke. Rachel cheating on her husband Ben with her brother-in-law Miles had been the talk of the town. That had been the headline of the day for weeks and weeks, each day revealing new details—most of which were pure bullshit. It hadn't been easy for Charlie. Most of the time her own career got opaqued by questions about the family scandal, leaving no room for questions about her projects.

"It's been three years and they're not even together anymore. You'd think they'd give it a rest." A waitress came by to take their order and they paused the conversation for a minute. "And then, of course I'm a snobby bitch for refusing to talk about it."

Bass laughed, "Yeah, well everyone that knows you doesn't believe a word of what those rag magazines publish."

That made Charlie smile. "I know I've said this before but I never get tired of hearing your accent." She noted sheepishly, covering up her slight embarrassment by trying to imitate him.

They both laughed.

The waitress came by with their coffee. She kept looking at Bass. Charlie could tell she recognized him but wasn't sure if it was from TV or due to all the times he'd been to the cafe. When Charlie looked back at him, it was obvious that Bass had been completely oblivious to it. He had his sights fixed on her, a soft smile painted on his face.

Bass had always found Charlie worthy of admiration, it was one of the first things that drew him to her and why they'd been able to hit it off so well from the beginning. Charlie wasn't like the other Hollywood girls he'd worked with before. At 25, she was more intelligent and versatile than other actresses twice her age. She exuded confidence and that to him was vastly intriguing. It also didn't hurt that she was stunning on all accounts and could easily make him laugh. Her sense of humor was the bow that tied all those perfect qualities together.

"What?" Charlie asked, noticing he was still staring.

He opened his mouth like he was going to say something but his phone buzzed, the screen lighting up on the table and reminding both of them that there was a third person in the picture. Duncan. He emitted a deep exhale before pressing the button to close the screen. Charlie didn't know why it felt like a tiny victory but her heart did things that she didn't expect.

Bass looked away for a second, he chuckled as he looked back at Charlie, "Camera guy. Black SUV." He pointed out, sipping from his cup of coffee.

Charlie didn't bother turning around. "Oooh, I can already see the headlines on _Tinseltown_ tonight, _Sebastian Monroe Caught Cheating on Girlfriend with Costar Charlotte Matheson_ , followed of course by endless comparisons between me and my mother." She raised her eyebrows, neither impressed nor threatened by the guy who by now probably had more than 100 shots of them ready to sell.

Bass had a smile on his face but he looked a bit uncomfortable. "I'm sorry," she said, "That was totally inappropriate."

He shook his head, "Oh no, please continue. I'm dying to hear the details of this affair." His smile widened. Maybe Charlie had been wrong, perhaps the thought of them together wasn't a cause of discomfort for him. That in turn made her heart pound faster.

"Anyway, have you read the latest script?" Charlie asked, clearing out room on the table for their plates as the waitress set down a platter next to them.

He rubbed his chin, the nicely trimmed facial hair sliding through is fingers. "Not yet. I was planning on doing a quick run through before the table read." He began picking at his food with his fork.

Charlie grinned. "It's uh..." She took a piece of cantaloupe in her mouth and began chewing, "It's pretty great." Bass watched as she finished her bite and swallowed. "Page 28 is particularly interesting." Her eyebrows wiggled playfully.

He looked at her puzzled. She'd definitely aroused his curiosity.

* * *

Bass looked over at Charlie who was sitting across from him at the table. "I'm tired of fighting this," He paused noticing the notes: _VINCE takes a hold of MEGAN's face_.

Charlie's voice sounded mousy in comparison to his, "Then don't." She saw the notes that followed: _VINCE kisses her passionately and MEGAN begins unbuttoning VINCE's shirt._

The creator of the show, Will Strausser—who had also penned the script—shook his head, "Are you guys fucking serious?"

The whole cast sitting at the table went quiet. Aaron Pittman pretended to scribble notes on his paper and show them to Jason Neville. Jason was the newbie in the cast and was also the son of the show's executive producer, Tom. Having gotten flack from Strausser before, he knew what Bass and Charlie were going through.

"Guys, come on! Give me some fucking passion for Christ's sake. These are two people who have wanted each other for a long time and circumstances kept trying to push them apart. Now it's their time to release all that pent up tension. I should be smelling the need to fuck from you two!" Strausser's instructions were always more than colorful.

He looked at Bass, "You sound more scared than a boy whose just touched his first tit."

Aaron chuckled under his breath.

"And Charlotte, that frightened childish voice is not doing you any favors. What the fuck is going on? Are you guys sleeping together or something?"

"What?" They responded in unison. Jason couldn't help coughing up a laugh. He and Aaron had already placed bets on when the two of them would finally admit their attraction for each other.

"Will, what the hell?" Bass said, getting up from his chair.

The showrunner looked at him with defiance. "What, is this your way of saying you're ready to jump into an actual rehearsal?"

Bass cleared his throat but didn't reply. Strausser looked at the rest of the cast and ordered them to take a break while he took matters into his own hands and worked with the troublesome pair in question.

The cast swiftly dispersed.

After a quick pep talk, he called Frank Blanchard over—he'd be the one directing the episode—and then asked Charlie and Bass to rehearse the scene in front of them.

Everything went well, that is until the part where their characters had to kiss and the clothes started coming off. Bass didn't know what was happening to him but the thought of having to undress Charlie was making him extremely nervous. His heart was fluttering like the wings of a dragonfly. Every little touch between them felt so ethereal. It was something that had never happened to him with anyone else before. The fact that she kept undulating her hips into him in a sensual manner didn't help one bit.

"No!" Strausser yelled, "Take her like you fucking mean it, Monroe!" Bass knew he was mad then, he'd begun calling him by his last name. Blanchard stood next to him, shaking his head.

Try after try and the scene never ended the way Blanchard and Strausser wanted. Bass knew it was all his fault. While he could feel Charlie's hesitation at times, the biggest flaw in execution was coming from him.

"Okay. That's enough." Strausser said. "You're all done for the day. But you better have your shit together by the time Frank starts shooting next week, Bass, or so help me God..."

Bass nodded. "Sorry, Will. I don't know what got into me." He looked at Charlie, embarrassed by his bad performance before walking back to his trailer.

* * *

Bass paced back and forth, reciting his lines over and over. He felt like he was burning, his body flaring up in response to the thought of Charlie and him becoming intimate. The more he read over the script, the more he thought of her. Naked. It was an image that continued to haunt him with every passing minute and it was driving him insane.

There was a knock on the door and he flinched, realizing his dick was rock hard and also unwilling to budge. He was about to ask who it was when the door swung open.

"Hey babe. I thought you were still rehearsing." Duncan shut the door behind her.

Bass turned away from her, trying to hide the evidence of his mental betrayal. "We finished early."

"Ugh, that's a bummer. I still have some work left." She came around him, pecking at his lips and pressing her hand against his chest. Bass returned the kiss, his mind still occupied with thoughts of Charlie. "Oh, what do we have here?" Duncan grabbed his bulge and licked her lips, "Someone up for a little fun?"

Bass pulled away. "I don't think that's a good idea."

Her mouth dropped open. "You have a raging boner and I have a few minutes to spare. It's the perfect idea." She grabbed the seam of her shirt and began to pull it over her head.

He stopped her. "We really shouldn't. We're at work and..."

Duncan groaned displeased. "You're unbelievable."

"I don't think mixing business with pleasure is very smart of us." He replied.

She rolled her eyes, putting her shirt back down. "We haven't had sex in weeks, Bass." She pushed the door open to leave, "Weeks."

Bass watched the door shut. It was true. They hadn't had sex for a while and truth be told, they'd been having numerous issues for the past few months. They'd all stemmed from the fact that Bass hadn't agreed to let her move in with him to his new home in Malibu. She'd been pushing for it ever since he got the deed to the house but he just didn't think they were ready. Duncan's constant bickering and brazen attitude only continued to prove him right.

There was another knock on the door.

He shook his head and grumbled thinking it was her again.

"Bass?" The voice on the other end belonged to Charlie. He felt a tug in his gut as he went to let her in.

The smiling face on the other side of the threshold was like a ray of warm sunshine on a cloudy day. "Is everything alright? What happened out there?" She came inside.

His lips formed a straight line. "I'm sorry." He said, leaning into the back of the couch.

"It's fine, don't worry about it." She removed her jacket and positioned it over the couch's armrest. "I was wondering if maybe you wanted to rehearse..."

Bass raised his eyebrows, "Rehearse? Here?" That sweet cadence in his voice made Charlie's insides twist.

She laughed, "Yeah. That way Strausser and Blanchard won't yell at you when it comes time to shoot on Monday." Charlie paused, "I'd hate to see you get reprimanded in front of the whole cast again."

He nodded once, "Right." Leaning past her he reached for his script on the coffee table. Charlie felt his hand brush against her arm, making her shiver unexpectedly.

They began going over their lines, eyes lingering on each other, their words enveloped with the intensity of two people who'd been fighting their feelings for too long. Bass touched her cheek, his piercing blue eyes shifting between her lips and her eyes. Charlie could feel her pulse increasing in rhythm, her cheeks becoming flushed as he continued to speak his lines into her ear.

"I'm tired of fighting this," Bass took a hold of her face, his lips crashing into her as he kissed her without warning. Charlie felt the air leave her lungs. She knew his kiss had come at the wrong time and yet she allowed it to go on without interrupting.

He pulled away after a few moments. "I'm sorry, I forgot you had a line right before..."

Charlie's heart was racing. "No worries," she said, short of breath.

They tried one more time, this time his hands sliding over her waist. That was something not on the script but Charlie didn't mind the little improvisation. She kissed him again, feeling her back coming in contact with the trailer's wall. They'd officially transcended into a state of perpetual surrealism and elation. Charlie couldn't tell if his touch was part of his acting or if the manner in which he kissed her was actually real. But she didn't care. The way her center was aching was telling her that what she was feeling wasn't fake. They didn't teach that in acting school.

Bass suddenly let go, feeling his own body reacting to her in the most sinful of ways.

"That was good." Charlie muttered, pretending like they were both well aware of what they'd been doing.

The truth was that they'd each lost control for a minute, and that minute had been the sweetest thing they'd ever experienced with each other. But at the moment, neither was ready to admit it had been anything more than just acting.

* * *

 **Thanks for reading! Your reviews are greatly appreciated. xoxo**


	2. Chapter 2

**Thank you all for your lovely reviews. I was smiling from ear to ear reading your comments. I recently started another job and it kind of got in the way of me posting sooner. Thanks for being so patient! Hope you enjoy this chapter.**

* * *

 **Chapter Two: Ship of Fools**

* * *

It was almost like nothing had happened, just business as usual. Charlie and Bass were back to talking and laughing as they left his trailer, like they hadn't just had a passionate make-out session that had rattled them both to the core. The though of his lips on her lips and his hands on her skin still made Charlie shiver but she hid it well behind her demeanor. She paid close attention to every word he said, smiling with serene eyes as she watched him. Bass for his part, had managed to get his body under control, concealing any evidence of the rise she had produced in him just a few moments before. There was absolutely no doubt they were both magnificent actors.

The sun was setting over the Hollywood hills, stretching out their shadows over the warm pavement. It was still summer but the weather had been more reminiscent of early spring the last few weeks, which was something the whole cast appreciated equally. Having to drive out to the desert during a heat wave was never fun, especially wearing layers upon layers of clothing at a time.

Charlie made note of the look on Bass's face when Strausser was scolding him in front of the whole cast. She laughed recounting the incident. He went along with it for a few seconds and then pushed her head away, engaging in rough play with her as they made their way to their cars.

"Why am I not surprised to see you two together?" Bass's agent, Jeremy Baker, hollered from the parking lot. He had just arrived in the same car as fellow agent, Nora Clayton.

Nora was in charge of Charlie's PR team and she was also her uncle Miles's girlfriend. The two had started a romance about a year after his split from Rachel. Charlie had actually introduced the two at Sundance while promoting an indie thriller she had starred in. She loved Nora, and knew she and Miles were a good fit from the moment they met. Unfortunately, as expected, this had only increased the wedge between her and her mother.

"How was breakfast this morning?" Nora teased, raising up her tablet to show them the newly published article on _Tinseltown_. There was a high resolution picture of Charlie and Bass—him leaning into her across the table. They both knew it had been taken during the moment he alerted her of the photographer in the car.

Bass and Charlie looked at each other with the same unimpressed expression. Little surprised them nowadays.

"According to this article you two were acting very couple-y. A source even said you looked like newlyweds and I quote, _Sebastian could not take his eyes off of her_." The brunette stated.

The pair glanced in the other's direction and then burst into laughter. They continued walking, shortening the distance in between.

"So, you guys down for happy hour?" Jeremy asked, grinning.

Charlie smirked, "That's why you guys are here? To invite us to happy hour?"

"Sorta. Also because we both got an email with _The Blackout's_ Season 3 official press release and it gave us some ideas for Comic-Con next weekend."

Bass looked at Charlie, "I could use a drink, how about you?"

* * *

The Rainbow Bar and Grill was one of Hollywood's oldest establishments on the Sunset Strip and was typically frequented by actors and musical artists alike. Charlie and Bass sat at a table with their agents, sipping on whiskey sours and beer and enjoying the heavy metal sounds playing over the speaker. For the typical person, a place like that wasn't good for holding conversations but for those looking to avoid eavesdroppers, it was the perfect setting.

"Comic-Con's always a big deal for the show and with its massive success and a third season coming up, you guys are going to be one of the must-see panels this year." Jeremy said, downing his martini as he scanned the crowd.

Nora elbowed him, "Are you seriously talking business and checking out the dudes at the same time?" She chuckled.

"Yeah, what's up with that? I thought you were in love with that hunky model slash go-go dancer who works at The Abbey. What's his name? Connor?" Charlie chimed in.

Jeremy returned his attention to them. "What? Just because I'm on a diet doesn't mean I can't sample the buffet." He ordered another martini, "Besides, Connor's a little busy right now and we haven't been in touch much."

"That's probably for the best. The kid's a little young for you, don't you think?" Bass asked teasingly. He was really just pulling Jeremy's chain, he couldn't have cared less about their age difference. The Lord knew that at the moment, he—a 38-year-old—was currently in a predicament involving a woman thirteen years younger than him. He looked over at Charlie as he lost himself in thought.

Jeremy snapped his head to one side with sass, "You're one to talk." He looked between him and Charlie, alluding to the possibility of them being together. It was like he was reading Bass's mind.

Charlie and Bass looked at each other and shrugged before snickering but neither did anything to disprove his assumption.

"We're thinking it would be a good idea for you to do press together this year, pose for pictures together, stuff like that." Nora said, waving down the waiter to order another drink. "It will be really good promo for the show, trust me. Besides, it's not like you two despise each other. I'm sure you'll have a great time working side by side, it will help you deal with all the chaos."

Charlie nodded, gulping down the last of her drink. "I have no problem with that." She felt the burning sensation of the whiskey swirling in her belly. _Yeah, that's definitely what was causing it_.

"I'm game." Bass agreed.

Jeremy took the cherry out of his drink, "The fans have been adamant about your characters finally getting together. It would be the perfect way to tease Season 3." He chewed on the sugary fruit, "I mean, just looking at you two sexy creatures makes me want to start a ship blog too."

Charlie laughed. She wasn't sure if Jeremy had forgotten that Bass already had a girlfriend or if he also liked to pretend Duncan didn't exist. Either way, she appreciated his enthusiasm over their on-screen romance.

"Ship?" Bass asked.

Jeremy gave Charlie a look before explaining, "As in relation- _ship_. Come on Bass, get with the program. It's all the kids are talking about these days. Doesn't matter what genre, people are always shipping something."

Nora smirked into her glass, sipping on her vodka pineapple. "He's right. I can't tell you how many tweets we get asking for it to happen. I don't think fans realize we don't write the show."

"They are really passionate about it. I get a lot of tweets too and Instagram comments." Charlie looked at Bass, poking his ribs playfully. "They ask me about you a lot. They're all dying for you to have some sort of social media presence."

Bass shook his head, "I wouldn't be able to keep up with it all. I can barely answer all my emails as it is. I'm down to only 500 as of last night." He chugged the rest of his beer.

"Incoming." Nora suddenly muttered, referring to the two brunettes who were heading towards their table.

The girls didn't look a day past eighteen but considering they were both holding a drink in their hand they had to have been at least twenty-one. One of them was in shorts and baring her midriff, a little shiny red gem attached to her belly button. The other was wearing a dress—or a long shirt. Charlie couldn't tell the difference.

They both stood next to the table with a big grin on their faces, their gaze directed at the one and only Sebastian Monroe. He looked at them with the sweetest of smiles. He was always very kind to his fans. Charlie had witnessed it many times, his charm was irresistible and the accent hooked them instantly. She'd lost count on the number of times she'd seen them close to passing out.

Charlie watched him work his magic, feeling a bit of jealousy by the way the girls were actively trying to flirt him.

"Hi, ladies." He greeted them and they giggled like schoolgirls.

"We're such big fans of yours." Pierced girl said. Charlie, Jeremy and Nora might as well had been invisible.

"We've seen all your movies and oh my God, _The Blackout_ is the best show ever! Your character is amazing, so bad but so good!" The other blurted out, speaking a little too fast and bordering on unintelligible.

Charlie sat there, watching pierced girl touching Bass's shoulder coyly, each time trying to close the distance that separated them.

"I'm glad you both enjoy the show. Charlie and I appreciate the kind words."

The girls finally acknowledged her presence. Pierced girl didn't seem impressed but the other girl went into full fan mode. "Oh my God! Charlotte, you're so beautiful!" She looked at Bass and audibly sighed, "And you call her _Charlie_? I ship you two so hard!"

Jeremy and Nora both laughed, completely amused by the strange fan encounter.

"Then you should definitely tune in to Season 3 this fall." Charlie winked.

She hoped that what she had just said wasn't going to give the girl an aneurism. She didn't want to be held responsible for a fan's death.

"Can I please get a picture with you?" Pierced girl asked Bass.

He got up from his chair, "Of course."

Charlie's jaw instinctively tightened as she watched the girl wrap his arm around him. She was practically on him, angling her ass out and pouting her lips to appear sexy on the shot. Her friend had some trouble with the camera until Jeremy stepped in and offered to take the picture for her. Meanwhile, pierced girl was having the time of her life, holding on to Bass while the technical difficulties got resolved. Once the picture was taken she presented her second request.

"Can I please give you a kiss?"

Bass smiled, flattered but reluctant to the idea. "I don't do kisses, sweetheart. I'm sorry. But I can give you a hug."

The girl took what she could, holding him for a drawn out embrace as her hands slid to his lower back. Charlie raised a brow at Nora.

It was now her friend's turn. She was less straightforward and more respectful of his personal space—actually deserving of a hug after all was said and done. But the girl wasn't satisfied with just that. She turned to Charlie with a pleading look in her eyes.

"Charlotte can I please get a picture with you and Sebastian?"

"Absolutely." Charlie complied, smiling sweetly.

The fan was living the dream, sandwiched between her favorite TV pairing. Charlie already knew that photo would be blowing up on social media before the girls even left the bar.

* * *

Monday came and with that the day for them to shoot the scene that had caused Bass so much trouble. He stood in the shower, warm water falling over him as he held his morning wood in his hand. If he was going to get through a day of shooting nude scenes with Charlie, he was going to have to release some tension first. He closed his eyes and began working on himself. As much as he tried to imagine anyone else rather than Charlie, his mind couldn't help conjuring her up as his hand slid up and down his shaft.

When he arrived on set he was so full of guilt that the mere thought of looking at her in the face was making him sick. _It's perfectly natural. She's an attractive woman and sometimes it just happens._ He told himself, like that was somehow going to vindicate him of all wrongdoing. Bass knew that's not how things worked but it still made him feel better.

"Hey, you!" She jumped in front of him, dressed in a bathrobe. "You ready for this?" Charlie did a little dance, playfully teasing him as she beamed.

He nodded, all guilt flying out the window at the sight of her luminous smile. "Let's do it."

Their lips touched over and over in a fiery series of kisses that only intensified with each take. Charlie tried to avoid thinking of it as anything more than a job but the way his tongue lightly penetrated her mouth made her lose all sense of reason. Bass's heart was pounding faster than a locomotive as her fingers intertwined between the fabric of his shirt, popping each button at a time with ease. They worked together with amazing synergy, the chemistry between them evident even to blind eyes.

When they finally made it past the kissing scene and the reveal of their feelings for each other, they transitioned into the challenging sex scene. Most clothes were off, pasties set over her nipples and a cock sock strategically placed on him, as she sat atop him on the bed. Charlie could feel her center jolting every once in a while but the feelings would die down every time she'd turned to face the crew working on the shoot. It wasn't sexy at all with all those prying eyes on them but every time they kissed, Charlie felt like everything around them got sucked into oblivion.

His hands trailed over her bare back, stopping just at the spot where her lower back ended and the ample roundness of her ass began. Bass's fingers felt like they were burning up, charging her with energy with every touch. They rolled over on the bed, his lips sticking to the hollow of her neck as she emulated an orgasm.

By the time the sequence was over, they were both sweaty and exhausted.

"Cut!" Blanchard shouted.

Charlie and Bass smiled sheepishly, relieved that everything had gone without a hitch. They gazed at each other in silence for a moment. Charlie wasn't sure if he was feeling it too but something between them had definitely changed. All she could do was wish it was for the better.

They were putting their robes back on when Duncan sauntered in with her makeup kit. The set had been closed for those particular scenes—not that she'd had any desire to watch her boyfriend have pretend sex with her. Duncan's attitude towards Charlie was blasé as always.

"You got a delivery." She said giving her a quick glance.

Charlie gave Bass a bewildered look as she began walking over to her chair. On top of it was a bouquet of red roses. Bass felt his stomach turn and twist as he watched the way in which her face lit up in response to the thoughtful gift.

Charlie read the card that accompanied the arrangement and giggled. "They're from Miles. I guess Nora told him I had a tough shoot today."

A sigh of relief left Bass's lips. But then a realization set in and it was something he could no longer cast aside as insignificant. He'd recognized the feelings that had bubbled up inside of him when he thought they were from an admirer. He'd been jealous. Jealous of the possibility of another man suddenly sweeping Charlie off her feet and him not being able to do anything about it.

* * *

 **Please review if you have a moment. I'll try to update again sometime next week! xoxo**


	3. Chapter 3

**Thank you bunches for the reviews/comments. Making you happy makes me happy :)**

* * *

 **Chapter Three: Stay Young, Go Dancing**

* * *

Duncan was seeing red. Her eyes were wild with anger as she took in the news Bass had just delivered. "You've got to be fucking kidding me, Bass." The trailer wasn't big enough for her to pace back and forth like a caged animal.

He remained calm, by now he was used to dealing with her temper tantrums but they were getting tiresome and pathetic. "Everyone else is going to be there too, even Miles is taking a break from his project to tag along." Bass wasn't sure his words were having any effect on her but he didn't know what else to say to appease her childlike behavior. It was like no one—especially him—was allowed to have fun unless she was involved.

"I don't care if the fucking Queen of England will be there too. You just told me you're going to play some stupid PR game and act like a couple the whole weekend. Meanwhile, I'm going to be stuck here applying makeup to crusty old men."

Bass couldn't help chuckling. "You will be doing your job and I will be doing mine. I don't see why this is so hard to understand. Playing up our TV relationship for the fans will be good for the show."

Duncan scowled. "You're already breaking rating records. There's no need to be parading yourself with Charlie to get people to watch." She snarled, "Unless you want to be seen with her."

"What?"

She was foaming at the mouth with hatred for the girl. "She's always had a crush on you Bass, it's so fucking obvious. And you've always been more than happy to accompany her wherever she wants to go. Princess Charlotte always gets what she wants, even if that means your girlfriend is stuck working the night shift while you're out having the time of your life."

He clenched his jaw. It wasn't that she was accusing them of doing things behind her back that bothered him, it was the fact that she was trying to insult Charlie when she had absolutely no part in the mess. If anyone should be getting chewed out and taking heat it was him. He'd been the one who by now had already had countless fantasies about the girl and hoped after every single one that it was something temporary that would fizzle out. So far, that wasn't going so great.

Bass had dealt with this kind of behavior for a while, the logical thing to do was to give it a rest. Over a year worth of a relationship seemed like a lot to throw away but he'd become more and more convinced that it was finally time to put an end to things.

"Maybe it's time for us to talk about what we have here." He began.

Duncan refused to listen, in her gut she already knew what was going to come spilling out of his mouth. Bass was crazy to think she was going to give him the satisfaction of breaking up with her and then rejoicing in a weekend with Charlie Matheson.

"We can talk when you return. I have to go back to work now." She muttered, slamming the door behind her as she left the trailer.

* * *

Charlie looked out the window of the plane, watching as the blue waters of the port of San Diego came to view. It had been the shortest flight she'd ever taken and it had been made even shorter with Bass next to her to keep her company. He'd saved himself the drag of even bringing up his discussion with Duncan. If anything, the weekend would serve as a pain reliever of sorts. There was nothing he wanted more than to numb himself of all the bullshit that had taken over his relationship.

The plane decelerated down the runway until it taxied over to their arrival gate. Charlie reached up to grab her suitcase from the overhead compartment, her shirt riding up her taut belly. Bass eyed her like he was musing at the work of a famous artist in a museum. She was undoubtably a stunning piece of art, but just like an exhibit in a museum, he was only allowed to look, not touch.

"We should go back to that restaurant in Little Italy that we went to last year. Remember the one with the scrumptious little pastries and the amazing lattes?" She asked, bringing up their previous visit. "They were to die for."

Bass nodded. Back then they had just started to get scenes together and were still testing the waters of their friendship. He had already been seeing Duncan a few months and Charlie had been in a relationship with some singer from a punk band that had since disbanded. Truth was, Bass found her beautiful from the moment they first met—he would've had to be blind not to—but he was too enamored with the prospect of a relationship with Duncan to think about anything else. Charlie too had been taken and as far as he could tell, had also been in a good stable place.

Things were a little different this time around. He was still carrying around the weight of a now-deteriorating relationship and Charlie was as free as a bird. Only one of them could fully enjoy the company of another and unfortunately for him, this meant Charlie had the liberty to see anyone she wanted and there was nothing he could do to stop it.

They all walked through the airport floor, dragging their luggage behind them. There were crowds of anxious fans ready to greet them at the building's exit. Their piercing screams filled the air the moment they walked out the door. The names of their costars and their own names bouncing off the walls and buildings. Charlie smiled and waved before stopping to sign a few photos. Bass approached the crowd as well, signing autographs and taking pictures with girls who were clamoring his name.

The poster of one adoring fan caught his eye. On it were various pictures of him and Charlie, the names of their characters and their own written on the cardboard. In the center was a hand drawn picture from one of their last scenes from the previous season. It was the scene that had gotten everyone talking about the possibility of a romantic relationship between them. It was also the scene that had gotten Bass thinking about Charlie as more than just a friend and costar.

"Hey Charlie!" He called out to her over the noise of the crowd. She turned to look at him as she continued to sign.

Bass pointed to the poster.

As soon as she was done, she came by to greet the fan whose creation had caused such a blunder. They talked to her for a few seconds and expressed their gratitude, shaking her hand and then both taking a quick picture with her.

Nora looked at Jeremy, "Time to pull the plug?"

Jeremy looked at his watch. "Yup."

They walked over to the adored couple, each grabbing their respective client's arm. "Sorry, guys! They gotta go!" Nora apologized as they pulled them away and directed them towards the car waiting for them at the curb.

* * *

Their panel was early the next morning. The enormous hall was filled to the very last seat, everyone thrilled to see their favorite stars on stage. They were introduced one by one, starting with the show's creator Will Strausser, followed by executive producer Tom Neville, Director Frank Blanchard, and finally the cast: Aaron Pittman, Jason Neville, Grace Beaumont, and last but not least, Sebastian Monroe and Charlotte Matheson.

The cast made the audience's time worthwhile, as they shared behind-the-scenes secrets and recounted anecdotes from the previous season. Charlie and Bass kept making comments to each other, laughing and giggling as if they were sharing their own private jokes and that did not go unnoticed by their feverish fans.

The moderator addressed the pink elephant in the room, arousing cheers and applause from the spectators. "Can we expect maybe a little bit of romance between Megan and Vince?" She asked, looking at the two actors in question.

Bass and Charlie looked each other, then pretended to be clueless as they looked around the room. They laughed before Bass said anything. "Do you guys want something to happen?" He teased in his delicious accent. The crowd went crazy, a few girls in the front row screaming 'yes.' Bass rubbed his beard as if contemplating the request.

"The first episode will just be Megan and Vince having sex under a waterfall." Strausser joked, feeding the fans' frenzy. "Just a full hour of porn."

The moderator chuckled and then directed her question at Charlie. "Charlotte, why do you think this pairing has gained so much momentum? Vince has done some pretty dark stuff, some of it involving Megan's family, and yet, the fans love the idea of you two together."

Bass elbowed Charlie teasingly and interrupted. "Megan obviously finds Vince incredibly sexy. Who cares if he's killed a few people?" He joked.

Charlie smiled then puckered her lips. "First of all, I'm always so amazed by the fans' passion for this pairing. I've seen some," she paused, "Some damn good edited videos on Youtube. I'm like," she widened her eyes, pretending like she was staring at a computer screen. "Holy crap! When did Vince and Megan do that?"

"We should hire some of those editors." Aaron chimed in, making them all laugh.

"For sure." Charlie replied. "And to answer your question, I think it's this thing of... There's just so much intensity between them and so many emotions that it makes you want to root for them. It's so wrong, it's right, you know what I mean?"

Bass leaned into his mic, "My mom's a fan. She totally ships it." Charlie and him looked at each other and burst into laughter.

"It's all in the eyes. The way your characters look at each other is very captivating." The moderator noted. "It's hard not to see the chemistry between you two."

Charlie jumped in, "We call those eye fucks." She grinned.

"Whoa! Whoa!" Bass said and then picked up his name plate as he began reading the instructions in the back, "Please keep in mind there are children under the age of 18 in the audience..."

Charlie covered her mouth as if embarrassed.

"But it's true, Vince and Megan do share a lot of eye fucks." Bass stated, smiling devilishly for breaking the rule he'd just read.

* * *

The rest of the day went by in a blur, between autograph signings, fan meetings, and back to back interviews with various outlets, they were all drained by the time dinner came around.

Miles met up with them later that night. They had all made plans to meet up at Katsuya for sake and sushi but Charlie and Bass soon found out the cast was more interested in sleeping than having fun. A table for ten ended up turning into a table for five. At least the food and drinks had been up to par.

"What a bunch of wowsers." Bass said, puffing on a cigarette as they waited outside for Nora to return from the restroom.

Charlie laughed, "It's okay, we can have our own party without them. I'm actually surprised Jason didn't come, he seemed pretty pumped when I invited him earlier."

Miles shrugged, "I heard Tom had dinner plans with some network execs, probably took him along."

"Well, that blows. I can't see execs being more fun than us. Am I right?" She put her arm around Bass in a playful way. He offered her a puff of his cigarette and although she refused at first, she ended up taking a small drag.

Miles eyed them carefully, noticing what was happening between them. He couldn't tell if they were just overtly friendly with each other or if something else was going on. But he didn't have time to find out before they got approached by fans asking for autographs and pictures.

Nora returned a few minutes later, Jeremy trailing behind with his nose buried in his phone.

"Top model joining the festivities tonight?" Bass asked.

Jeremy shook his head, "He's still in L.A. I don't think he's coming down."

"Oh, he's definitely not _going_ —I mean _coming_ —down." Miles said suggestively and they all laughed at poor Jeremy's expense.

Charlie looked around at the sea of people walking up and down the Gaslamp. The weather was chilly for a July night and she put her hands in her pockets as she bounced on the balls of her feet. "I want to check out the party at the Hard Rock Hotel."

Miles looked at Nora. "I told you."

"Told her what?" Charlie asked.

Nora smiled. "I told Miles I wanted to do something less crazy than a club, maybe a bar or a lounge. I hear Parq has a good atmosphere and the downstairs area isn't too wild."

"And I told her that you would want to go drinking and dancing, especially knowing you don't have anything going on tomorrow." Miles said.

Charlie grinned, "Geez Uncle Miles, you know me so well!"

"Well, I for one don't want to go to a club where I'll be the fifth wheel." Jeremy offered his two-cents. "I'd rather be the fifth or third wheel at a place where I can sit and hear people around me talk than be one in a crowded dance floor."

Charlie stuck out her tongue. "Party poopers." Then she looked at Bass and imitated his accent, "Wowsers."

Bass laughed and offered Charlie a better choice. "Let's go with them and have some drinks. I'll go with you to the party at the Hard Rock afterwards." He said, wrapping an arm around her shoulders.

The look on her face did little to mask the excitement she was feeling. Charlie felt like she'd been hit with a lightning rod straight in the chest.

* * *

They arrived at the Hard Rock exactly at the time when the other celebrities were also making their entrance. Everyone was walking the carpet outside the hotel, the camera flashes blinding them as they made their way to the party inside. Bass and Charlie stared at each other for a minute before either of them spoke.

"Nora did say to play up the relationship, right?" Her stomach twirled in response to what she was suggesting.

Bass nodded, "Let's do a few pictures, that way they won't say we snubbed them when we walked in."

As soon as they stepped onto the carpet their names began ringing like high frequency alarms in their ears. The music booming around them only added to the mayhem. _Charlotte. Sebastian. Charlotte look over here. Sebastian over here. Smile. This way. One more. Over here._ It was insanity all around them. Bass began walking away, taking a hold of Charlie's hand and guiding her towards the entrance as the shutters continued going off behind them.

Charlie was having the best time of her life. She was on her first drink there but it was already her fourth one of the night after the ones she'd had back at the bar—and that was without counting the sake during dinner. She was swaying with the music, her hips moving to the tune of a pop song as Bass eyed her from behind his glass of rum and coke. He smiled at her, as he too began feeling the slight effects of the alcohol. His tolerance level was lightyears ahead of hers.

"Dance with me." She said, wrapping her arms around his neck. The carefree sense invoked by the alcohol was letting her speak her mind without any inhibitions.

She began moving against him, her head dipping into the hollow of his neck every once in a while to revel in his scent. When she looked back up, Bass was staring right at her. Charlie felt a strong urge to kiss him, his lips looked so inviting. Her mouth watered but even in her impaired state, she knew it wasn't the right time for that. She did the next best thing. She nuzzled into his neck, her lips brushing against his skin as they continued to dance.

He slid his hand over her waist, fingers caressing the small of her back as he held her close. Bass felt like every nerve in his body was being charged with electricity as he allowed her to continue rubbing up against him. She was so riveting and beautiful. Her wild spirit flowing freely just like the blonde locks of her hair. There was no point in denying it anymore. He wanted her more than anything.

"Have I ever told you that you were my celebrity crush when I was starting my acting career?"

Bass's eyes widened in surprise as he shook his head. "Really?"

Charlie laughed. "Yeah." She put her head down sheepishly. "I had this giant poster of you from your film _The Republic_ hanging on my dorm wall on my first year of college." She omitted the part about fingering herself to him on more than one occasion—she wasn't that drunk.

He chuckled as Charlie continued spilling more truths. "You're way more handsome in person than you are on TV and movies though. And your accent," She sighed, "It's unbelievably sexy." The words left her mouth without warning. Charlie gulped.

Bass had so many emotions coursing through his body. How had he been so blind to not see that Charlie had been attracted to him all along? If he hadn't cared about becoming a blatant cheater, he would've kissed her right then and there without heeding consequences.

"Do you think I can handle one more drink?" She smiled, "How about a shot?"

He shook his head. "I think you're doing just fine already, darling." Bass looked at her intently, "And can I tell you one more thing?" His voice had a raspy, alluring tone.

She listened carefully, as carefully as the music allowed. "What?"

"I think you're the most beautiful and incredible woman I've ever met." He admitted.

Charlie felt her heart flutter and her body tense as the connection between them grew stronger. But the thought of them together soon became clouded by the realization that Bass had someone waiting for him back in L.A.

She frowned. "Yeah, well I'm sure your girlfriend would not be happy to know you said that to me." They stopped dancing. "And I think she's a total bitch, by the way." She blurted out.

Bass held back a laugh. "And I think it's time for us to head back to the hotel."

Charlie rolled her eyes. "Fine." As she began walking, she felt his hand circle around the bend of her waist one more time.

She knew very well that he wasn't a free man but as long as she was concerned, they weren't doing anything wrong. _Were they?_ Was it questionable? Yes. But they hadn't done anything that constituted infidelity. At least not in her book, and apparently not in Bass's either.

Charlie allowed him to care for her. Once they made it inside the cab, she rested her head on his chest, without even thinking it twice. She loved the way he smelled and the way her body and his fit so well together. They were like two pieces of a puzzle that always fell perfectly into place.

* * *

 **Please review if you have a moment. Thanks! xoxo**


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter Four: Bedroom Eyes**

* * *

Charlie kept searching inside her purse. "Damn it." She muttered, digging her fingers in every crevice and overturning everything in the small tote. Bass rested his forearm against her door, looking down at her and smiling at her efforts to find something she'd clearly either lost or misplaced. His buzz was fading but hers seemed to be at its peak. His blue eyes trailed over her, staring with the utmost delight as she shifted her weight from one foot to the other. Her blonde locks cascaded over her shoulder, the soft light of the hotel hallway capturing the beautifully delicate features of her face.

She let out a frustrated groan.

"Sweetheart, I don't think your keycard is in your purse." He noted, wrinkling his forehead and looking incredibly irresistible in the process. Checking his phone, he noticed it was already three in the morning. He rubbed his beard in a pensive manner.

Charlie was dazed, her eyes seeing two of him. She pouted. "I should go get it over... down there or something." Mixing one word for another, her plan was to ask the front desk for a replacement.

Bass smiled, "Or you could just stay in my room for the night."

Her mouth parted, "You want me to sleep with you?" Her heart pounded with force.

Instead of answering her question or correcting her, Bass interlocked his arm with hers. "Come on," he said as they walked down the hall to the room four doors down.

"Are you even drunk?" She asked curiously, eyeing him with suspicion and pressing her finger against his chest.

He smiled and opened the door, allowing her to walk in first as he searched for the light switch on the wall. Bass wasn't drunk—a little buzzed, maybe. But he was well-aware of what was happening. "I'm feeling pretty good," he replied in a velvety smooth voice.

Charlie was standing at the foot of the bed, eyeing the king size mattress and resting her hands on her hips. Bass figured she was wondering if they were both going to be sleeping on the same bed. But just as he was about to say something to put her mind at ease, she began ridding herself of her clothes.

First came her shoes. She kicked off the boots. They went flying across the other end of the room. Then came her leather jacket, followed by her jeans. Bass was speechless, not exactly sure what was happening and not exactly sure if he wanted to put an end to it. It wasn't until she'd disposed of her shirt and was reaching at the band of her bra to unhook it that he spoke.

"Hey, Charlie."

She stopped, looking over at him like a deer in headlights. It was like she'd forgotten he was there. Instead of freaking out and covering herself up, she placed one hand on her hip and put most of her weight on one leg. The perfect curves of her body were like lines to the most beautiful love poem, and Bass was dying to read and interpret every single one. Heat flared in his body. His heart raced. And his eyes seemed unable to look past anything but her.

"Can I borrow a shirt?" The innocent tone in her voice was magnetic, producing an all too familiar ache and making him rise like the early morning sun.

How could someone exert so much overpowering sensuality while displaying so much vulnerability at the same time? He mused. Bass wasn't sure how she was capable of such feat but the effect it was having on him was proving to be overpowering.

"Shirt?" The sweet accented word left his lips quietly.

Charlie threw herself on the bed, resting her head for a moment before glancing back at him. Wearing only her underwear and bra, she waited for him to lend her something to wear. She sighed loudly, "This is so embarrassing," before burying her face in the bedsheets. Bass smirked.

He pulled out a white v-neck from his suitcase. "Here you go." He said, handing it to her as his eyes swept up and down her tantalizing body.

Charlie sat up. Seeing that she wasn't going to shy away from taking off the bra in front of him, he turned away. He told himself it was his way of giving her some privacy but really he was just trying to save himself the pain of ending up with a bluest of balls known to mankind. When he turned back, Charlie was dressed in his shirt and curling up on the right side of the bed.

"It's okay, Bass." She whispered, facing his direction, "I want to sleep with you too."

He stared at her for what seemed like the longest of minutes, contemplating her gentle features as she closed her eyes. Charlie was a beauty, she'd always been one, and although Bass thought it was impossible, the last few days had made her even more beautiful in his eyes. There was really no doubt about it. The girl had a tight grip on his heart.

Bass quickly brushed his teeth and peeled his clothes off. When he settled into bed, Charlie moved ever so slightly, fluttering her eyes open for just a second before he switched the light off.

"Thank you, Bass." She cooed half asleep.

He sighed, "You're welcome, Charlie."

* * *

She awoke the next morning finding herself all alone in bed, the curtains still drawn and the shower running in the bathroom. Charlie blinked quickly, looking down at the white shirt that was covering her half naked body.

"Shit." Every possible scenario ran through her head and she suddenly became petrified at the thought of having slept with Bass. It wasn't that the idea hadn't crossed her mind before but she'd hate to discover she'd wasted the opportunity while she was impaired. What good did sleeping with Bass do if she couldn't remember a single thing?

Looking at the clock on the nightstand, she noticed it was pretty early. Her tongue was parched and her head was pounding. A light buzz still lingering. Charlie hated getting up still feeling drunk.

She reached for her phone. There were a few missed calls from Nora and Miles and also a couple voicemails. Listening to them, she came to find that Miles had already flown back to continue his work on a film he was producing in Atlanta. Nora had also reminded her that their flight back to L.A. was at noon and they'd have to catch a quick breakfast at one of the airport cafes, since neither her or Bass had picked up the phone earlier.

The sound of running water stopped, followed by the reverberating of the glass door as it slid open. Charlie reclined her back against the headboard and brought her knees up to her chest. The shirt was laced in his scent and she found it impossible not to relish in it.

She waited. The anxiety built up inside her, threatening to pop like the cork in a champagne bottle. Charlie jumped at the sound of Bass's phone going off, her heart stopping for a second and all the blood leaving her face. The sound of the generic ring tone continued for a few moments before it finally stopped.

There were things being shuffled in the restroom, container caps being popped and then closed again, water shutting on and off. Charlie turned her phone back on and flipped the camera so she could use it as a mirror. After combing her hair with her fingers, she cleaned the bits of sleep at the corner of her eyes and tried her best to look presentable.

Her breathing hitched as he came out of the bathroom wearing a white towel around his hips. Bass's mouth split into a smile, "Rise and shine. How are you feeling?"

Charlie tried to keep her eyes focused on his face but his finely crafted abs and the lines of his flawless V peeking from underneath the towel were extremely distracting. "Um. Okay." She lied. Her head felt like it was going to burst.

"I'm glad," he said, displaying that pearly white smile again. He turned away from her, looking for clean clothes in his suitcase.

Her eyes fell over the muscles of his back. She was captivated by the way they moved and tightened with every movement of his arms. Bass turned, catching her off guard and making her heart leap.

"Uh," She said, looking away. "How did I end up here?" She looked down at the shirt she was wearing.

Bass smiled. "You forgot your room key."

She nodded, "Okay. But why am I wearing your shirt?"

He slipped a foot through his boxer briefs, clearly not caring to get dressed in front of her. The flustered look on her face felt a little bit like payback after what she'd done to him the night before. Charlie's eyes widened, her body responding nervously. She looked down, listening to the wet towel fall to the floor as he adjusted the waistband of his underwear. When she looked back at him, he was already pulling up his jeans, his package fitting nicely behind the zipper. She found her reaction irrational—after all, she'd already seen him wearing only a cock sock.

"You really don't recall a thing?" He muttered, a devilish smirk on his face. "Am I not worthy of remembering?" He teased. "Because that's not what you said last night." The look in his eyes was playful.

Her first response had been mortification but Charlie had an inkling that he was just fucking with her. The laughter that erupted from his chest soon after confirmed her suspicions. The feeling of relief lowered her levels of anxiety.

Charlie gasped. "You're such a little shit." She threw a pillow at him but he easily evaded getting hit.

"I couldn't help it." He said between chuckles. "Truth is, you asked for a shirt after getting almost completely naked in front of me." He declared. "You get ballsy when you drink, Charlotte." He winked.

She felt herself sink lower into the mattress, trying to hide her shame. "Oh God. Please tell me I didn't say anything stupid."

He smiled, "I didn't think it was stupid. Truthful? Perhaps."

Charlie wanted the earth to swallow her whole. As long as she hadn't revealed that she often thought of them together, she'd be okay—not that there was any way of confirming that without asking. But what if she'd let it slip that she hated seeing him with Duncan or anyone else that wasn't her? Charlie suddenly felt nauseous.

He finished getting dressed. "As much as I enjoy watching you silently struggle to remember everything you said to me last night, and as much as I love the way my shirt looks on you..." That last part kind of just slipped without him thinking. "Nora and Jeremy will kill us if we miss our flight."

Charlie nodded in agreement as she scrambled to get ready, but her mind was still stuck on the fact that he'd just told her he loved the way his shirt looked on her.

* * *

Jeremy was not happy that they were stuck eating breakfast sandwiches and mediocre coffee at the airport food court. On numerous occasions they'd accused him of being a bigger diva than some of Hollywood's biggest stars, and that morning had not been the exception. Charlie found it in her to laugh, even though she still wasn't feeling very well.

She knew it would probably take getting back home and sleeping the rest of the day for her to feel normal again. She'd been wearing her sunglasses ever since they'd left the hotel and really only took them off when it was time to go through security. Jeremy and Nora already knew all about her and Bass's late night partying. As usual, the gossip sites had been first to inform them of their friends' doings. There were pictures posted on every major entertainment site of them arriving at the Hard Rock Hotel for the after party and subsequently leaving said party together. As if that wasn't enough, there were also shots of them arriving at their hotel with their arms around each other.

"They're all going crazy for _Charloe_ now." Jeremy pointed out. "It's insane in a really good way." He took a bite out of his egg sandwich.

Nora teased them, "You know you've made it when fans start shipping you in real life too."

Charlie wasn't sure if all the attention was actually good. She worried Bass wouldn't be okay with all of it being blown out of proportion, especially with a girlfriend who was most definitely not going to be happy about it.

"You don't have a problem with any of this?" She asked him, her dark sunglasses blocking him from making eye contact.

Bass was dead serious. "Of course I do." Jeremy and Nora looked at him, a bit surprised by his response. "Why does our ship name have to be _Charloe_?" He took a sip of his coffee. "Why can't it be _Marlie_? I personally think that has a better ring to it." He grinned.

"Technically, it would have to be _Marlotte_ , since the fans know her as Charlotte." Jeremy corrected him, feeling very proud of his assessment.

The three laughed but Charlie was still a little nervous about the repercussions. She shook her head and smiled, "Seriously, Bass. Don't you think maybe we should do a bit of damage control?" She paused, "For your sake."

Bass had yet to tell her about his argument with Duncan before they'd left L.A. He really didn't care what his girlfriend thought about it. If he was lucky, it would probably facilitate the inevitable breakup.

"I'll be fine." He replied, confident it was for the best.

* * *

When everyone arrived on set on Monday, Charlie felt like she was holding in one of the biggest secrets of her life. Sure, things hadn't really crossed the line of friendship between her and Bass, but she had stripped in front of him and then climbed into his bed—wearing his shirt, nonetheless. She sat down on the makeup chair, looking at herself in the mirror and noticing the slight dark circles under her eyes. Her head snapped to attention when she saw Duncan's reflection in the mirror.

The woman looked at her with the lack of amiability that Charlie had already expected. The blonde cleared her throat, waiting for her to set her makeup kit on the vanity. It was a silence drenched in resentment and guilt.

"Chin up." Duncan said, applying a light moisturizer on Charlie's face before spreading a thin layer of primer and getting to work.

Charlie couldn't take the feelings of culpability any longer. The woman probably though she was sleeping with Bass behind her back and frankly, that was something that rubbed Charlie the wrong way. "Look Duncan–"

"Save it, princess." She severed any attempts at clarification. "I'm here because it's my job, I'm not here to make friends with the talent." Duncan said curtly.

"Okay." Charlie muttered.

Taking out one of her brushes, Duncan dabbed a bit of concealer under her eyes.

Charlie shrieked in pain as she felt the bristles poke her eyeball. "What the fuck?" She brought her hand over her right eye as it began to water from the incessant sting.

"I'm so sorry." She apologized but her tone was faker than her tits.

Leaning into the mirror, Charlie opened her eye, staring back at a blotch of red in the white of her eyeball. She looked back at Duncan and snarled, "Bullshit. You did this on purpose." She grabbed her stuff and without saying another word to her, she headed to set.

Bass was just arriving at his trailer. He paused for a second when he saw her, trying to make small talk, "Hey." But Charlie only returned a meager wave and kept walking. He was smart enough to know something was wrong.

"Hey!" He said again, this time following her until he caught up. When Charlie looked at him he noticed the redness in her eye. "What happened?"

She released a frustrated groan. "Why don't you ask your girlfriend?" She uttered the word with disdain.

"Duncan did this to you?"

Charlie didn't answer, just rolled her eyes and continued on her way.

* * *

Duncan was seated on Charlie's chair with her back against the vanity, paying more attention to her phone than to Bass. The lights above the mirror streamed over her, casting weird shadows over her face. "It was an accident."

Bass didn't believe her. She'd had it out for Charlie for quite some time and having already heard all about their weekend together, it was obvious she'd let her hand slip. It hadn't helped at all that he'd turned down her dinner invitation the day before. Bass suddenly felt like all of it was his fault. She was taking her anger out on Charlie instead of him.

"I don't think this is working anymore." He blurted out. "Maybe it's best to put an end to it."

Duncan looked at him and scoffed, "You're dumping me for her? You're an asshole."

"I'm an asshole?" He asked, "Duncan, this hasn't been working for a while and you know that."

She gritted her teeth in anger, finally putting the phone away. Getting up from the chair, she walked across the trailer, touching Charlie's belongings like she was browsing products in a retail store. "So what, I'm just supposed to come to work and pretend this breakup was mutual?"

Bass shook his head, "I actually think it would be best if the break is both personal and professional." He said, thinking carefully before speaking and delivering the words with as much ease as possible.

She turned to him, hands over her head and fingers entangled in her hair. "Wow." Pacing back and forth, she took the first thing she came across atop the vanity and threw it across the room, barely missing Bass's head.

He ducked out of the way, yelling at her. "Are you fucking crazy?"

Duncan was breathing fire, she walked over to the door with the most frightening demeanor. Kicking it open, she looked back at him. "She's a kid, Bass. Do you really think a relationship with a 25-year old will work?" She sneered. The room was filled with silence for a moment before she muttered. "I can't imagine she'd be willing to deal with something like a sex tape scandal."

His eyes went wide like saucers. "What are you talking about?"

Duncan chuckled in a derisive tone. "If I'm losing my job then you're losing your pristine image, hon. Ciao!" She blew him a kiss.

Bass was stunned.

There was no way Duncan had a sex tape of him. _She couldn't, could she?_ He didn't know what to think. A few months ago he had a completely different concept of her, he'd never imagined she would turn out to be such a harpy. Bass knew that Duncan taping him without his consent wasn't entirely out of the realm of possibilities. The mere thought made him sick to his stomach.

* * *

 **Thanks so much for reading! Leave me a review if you have a second. xoxo**


	5. Chapter 5

**Lemon, thanks for giving me a nudge every once in a while. This update is for you. Enjoy!**

* * *

 **Chapter Five: Kiss The Girl**

* * *

Bass made his way to set with Duncan's menacing words hanging over his head like a dark cloud. He tried to recall the last time they'd even had sex—the situation had been that rough between them. It was no wonder he felt like a pubescent teenager whenever he was around Charlie. Thoughts of her were just forming in his mind when he saw her sitting on her chair, earphones in and her thumb on the screen of her phone. He smiled, for a moment forgetting everything that had just happened. Charlie had that effect on him.

She was so absorbed in her music that his presence went undetected for a short while. Bass noticed she had a habit of sitting with her legs crossed, her foot always bouncing up and down like she was unable to hold still. And she would always bite her bottom lip in a pensive manner when she was focused on a particular thing. It was the little things that she did and that he was so keen to observe that first made him realize he spent a little too much time admiring the girl. Now, it just seemed like second nature to him.

The likelihood of his dick soon being available to anyone on the internet was a notion that had washed away from Bass's mind the moment she looked up at him with those captivating blue eyes. He cleared his throat and Charlie relented a smile, her eye still a bit watery from the run-in with Duncan's brush. He wanted to comfort her and tell her how sorry he was, but he knew that Charlie wasn't the type of girl who vied for that kind of attention. She was as tough as they came, and trying to coddle her in this situation would probably earn him a scolding more than a 'thank you.'

"Hello, again." He greeted her with a warm smile.

Charlie pulled out her earphones. "Hi." She smirked, the expression on her face saying so much more. They both looked at each other, their eyes communicating words their tongues could not produce. That was the thing about their relationship. They were so in tune with each other that sometimes words became extraneous.

Bass had just taken a seat when he noticed their body doubles had finished up their test shots and Blanchard was all set to begin directing their journey back home.

As soon as they got to working on their scenes, he put everything else on hold.

* * *

Bass and Charlie had shared the majority of scenes that day and filmed together almost exclusively. Aside from the intimate scenes they had previously shot, there had been a sequence that took place in front of a campfire that Bass was particularly fond of. He and Charlie always debated on the exact moment when their characters began falling in love. It always made for interesting conversations and amusing anecdotes.

The breaks in between takes had been filled with jokes and teasing between them—the line that separated their friendship and the mutual feelings they shared for one another becoming ever more blurred with each cut.

Blanchard was busy dealing with a technical issue as Charlie and Bass sat in the back of a wagon waiting for filming to resume. They could hear him arguing with his lighting technician as crew members ran back and forth trying to keep his frustration from escalating.

"Your eye's looking a lot better." Bass mentioned as his finger lightly brushed the top of her cheek.

Charlie smiled, her heart beating faster in response to his touch. "Don't you think you might have gone a bit overboard with Duncan?" She couldn't believe that question had actually come out of her mouth. Her inner voice cursed and regretted every word.

Bass had already told her about the breakup and the fact that she would no longer be the makeup artist on set. But he'd saved the conversation about the sex tape for a later time. He didn't want to think about anything else and chose to focus entirely on their dynamic during shooting instead. "If anything, we pushed it for too long." He replied very matter of fact.

Charlie still felt an irrational amount of joy whenever she thought of Bass as a free man. Of course, she knew that probably didn't mean they'd be jumping into a relationship right away, but it was still nice to imagine the possibility. The moment he broke the news, she'd almost blurted out her congratulations. It took everything in her power not to say anything insensitive. He'd assured her that it wasn't her fault and just like he'd reiterated, that the breakup had been a long time coming.

Her moment of reflection was interrupted by Bass's laughter. A gust of wind had blown her hair over her face, leaving it in disarray. It was something Bass found absolutely adorable. She ran her fingers through it and tucked it behind her ears.

"You should see yours." Charlie said, staring at the curls sticking up on the side of his head. "You look like you just got out of bed." She reached over to touch it with her hand.

He pulled away, unsure if she was going to smooth it out or dishevel it further. His first instinct had been correct, Charlie began trying to ruffle it. She howled with laughter as he tried to move further from her. But the wagon seat wasn't big enough, he had nowhere else to go.

"I knew you were going to do that. You're so damn predictable." His accent swirled around his words.

Bass was usually pretty good when it came to staying in character and that usually entailed keeping an American accent on set. However, he did slip every once in a while, especially when he was caught off guard. His instincts kicked in and inevitably the Australian came out of him. Most of the time, it was Charlie's fault.

"Ooh, Vince is Australian now, aye mate..." She teased. Bass put his arm around her neck, holding her in a playful choke hold as she squealed and tried tickling him so he would release her. The sensation of his body pressed up to her side made her stomach clench and her heart flutter.

Blanchard noticed their frisky scuffle. "Alright you two. Take it to the trailer." He called out, bringing the shooting to a close for the time being. "You guys can break for lunch. I'm gonna try to get this shit figured out." He scratched his head, squinting as he inspected the light fixtures.

* * *

Charlie had grabbed a plate of fruit and cheese from the craft table, while Bass sat pensively drinking iced coffee from a plastic cup. The sun was beating down on them, the heat of the Valley relentless even under the giant umbrellas that sheltered the patio. Charlie eyed him curiously as she took a seat next to him, popping a grape in her mouth.

"Something wrong?" She asked, not taking his eyes off of him. He pursed his lips and then took a deep breath. "Uh oh." Charlie said.

She tilted her head, resisting the urge to ogle him.

"There's this thing that Duncan said to me before she left this morning." Bass began, his words a bit evasive. He looked in her direction for a long moment, his blue eyes transfixed by her impeccable beauty. Charlie continued eating her food, waiting for him to finish his thought. "She has a sex tape."

Charlie's eyes widened in surprise, as she clamped down on her mouth full of fruit. She struggled to swallow but once she did, the first thing that came out of her was a laugh. She soon covered her mouth, embarrassed by her initial reaction. "I'm sorry. I just... a sex tape?" Her mouth dropped open in disbelief. "Of you?" Then suddenly, the situation became less funny. She didn't even want to think of its contents.

Bass raised his eyebrows. "I'm glad you're finding this entertaining because I think it's going to be a fucking disaster if it gets published."

"Why? Will the ladies be disappointed with your performance?" She couldn't help herself. Teasing Bass was just too fun.

He looked at her sternly but the corner of his mouth quivered in an attempt to keep himself from cracking a smile. "Go ahead, keep laughing." His expression softened, "My reputation is obviously a very funny subject."

Charlie shook her head, "No. It's not funny. Well, it kind of is." She twisted her mouth, "But I know it's a serious matter. And not just for you. Did you call your lawyer?" She lowered her voice when she noticed the crew members approaching their table. They walked right past them, making a beeline for the craft service area.

"Not yet. I'm still not sure if I believe her. She could've just been saying that to make me change my mind about the breakup. I really don't know what to think." He continued drinking his coffee.

A faint smile appeared on Charlie's face, "Well, if it's of any help. I'm sure Miles knows someone who could help."

Bass smiled back. "Thanks, Charlie, but the less people I get involved in this, the better."

From the corner of her eye, Charlie saw the production assistant making her way to them. The raven haired girl exchanged words with someone over a walkie. "You're needed on set," she said, straightening out her glasses.

Charlie and Bass looked at each other and nodded once before heading back to work.

* * *

They had wrapped close to midnight. Bass was ready to go home and sleep until his body could sleep no more but Charlie had other plans in mind.

She stood before him with the sweetest of expressions, her pink lips puckered as she batted her eyelashes. The girl knew how to be persuasive and looked damn good while doing it. She was hard to resist. "Come on, the bar's only open for a couple more hours! And you need a drink. Or two."

Bass looked at her and then at himself. "We're covered in dirt."

"And?" Charlie replied. "Like that hole in the wall's gonna kick us out. We probably look like regular clientele to them." She winked.

Charlie moved from side to side, like a child trying to convince an adult to let her have her way. Bass smiled, that was enough for her to know that he was taking her up on her offer.

About a half mile down the street, past blocks of little boutiques, a sex shop, and a Mexican restaurant that smelled like heaven, stood the dive bar that Charlie was so eager to visit. There were grungy men playing pool and go-go dancers atop the bar dancing along to Def Leppard. A group of girls celebrating a bachelorette stumbled in right behind them, adding to the noise of the place. Charlie ordered them both a whiskey and coke and then headed to the old juke box on the other side of the room.

A cloud of smoke enveloped her as she browsed the album catalog. Bathed in the neon lights from the juke box and the softness of the atmosphere, she looked like a character from an 80's rock opera.

Bass sipped on his drink, watching her pivot from one foot to the other amidst the heavy smoke, the movement of her hips was like hypnosis therapy, and he very much wanted more of it. Any other man looking at her like that would have been considered a deviant.

After a few moments, the Def Leppard song ended and the one she had chosen began blaring through the speakers. The heavy sounds of the recognizable rock song made him chuckle. Charlie danced seductively with her drink in one hand as she walked back to him. The girls atop the bar seemed to appreciate the song selection as well.

"You're in the jungle, baby." She sang to him, continuing her mesmerizing dance only inches away.

Bass gulped down his drink. "Guns N' Roses, how very appropriate." He said, his eyes trailing up and down her body as she danced.

Charlie's hair moved from side to side, her hips swaying in a tantalizing manner. Bass could tell she was capturing the attention of others around them as well. But she only seemed to have eyes for him and that was more than okay in his book.

* * *

Later in the night, when they were back in the studio's lot, Bass took the liberty to walk her to her car. "You're fine to drive?"

She smiled, "I had two drink," she looked at her phone, "Almost two hours ago."

He nodded, delaying the goodbye. Charlie's eyes trailed over his face, taking in the details of his features and the curvature of his lips. Her chest tightened, a warm sensation invading the pit of her stomach. She licked her lips as if by instinct, her back touching the driver door of her car.

Bass gulped, raising his hand up to her face to touch her chin. Charlie's head tilted every so slightly, her heart beating out of control. She could almost taste him in her tongue, her mouth watering at the thought. He leaned in closer still, staring at her as if in disbelief.

Charlie smiled, "Are you just going to stare at me all night or are you–"

He cut her off, answering her question with a kiss. The moment their mouths touched couldn't have felt more perfect. Charlie welcomed his lips, tracing them gently with her tongue before allowing him to continue his own exploration. The heat she'd felt in her belly quickly spread throughout her body, inevitably reaching the point of pleasure between her legs.

She clasped on to his neck, wrapping her legs around his hips and becoming wedged between his body and the car. They continued kissing for minutes on end, their bodies tangled in each other under the parking lot lights. Charlie didn't know how much time had passed and frankly she didn't care, all she knew was that being with him filled him with more joy than she'd ever imagined. Her whole body was abuzz.

Bass moved with her wrapped around him and sat her atop the hood of the car, placing intermitted kisses on her lips before going in for one that was more drawn out. His tongue darted into her mouth as he lost himself in her taste. When they finally broke apart, his cock was pressing against the zipper of his jeans and Charlie's breathing was erratic, her own center wet and aching.

He smiled, pressing his forehead against hers. "You have no idea how long I've been wanting to do that."

Charlie pecked his lips. "You say that like we've never kissed before."

"We have but not like this. This time we have no audience. It's just us." He spoke softly.

Charlie knew exactly what Bass meant by that. While their on-screen kisses had awaken feelings in her and made her question reality from fiction, there was nothing more genuine and intimate than what they'd just experienced. Which was ironic, considering they were outdoors.

"Bass," she said sheepishly, "I can't help being a little scared."

He took her face between his hands. "Darling, there's nothing to be afraid of."

She explained, "I really like you and I don't want this to be just this thing you're doing because you're fed up with what you had with–"

He placed a finger atop her lips. "No. This has nothing to do with her, Charlie. This is about you and me, no one else." Bass took her hand between his, "I've felt this way about you for a long time." He admitted, "And if I'm being perfectly honest, I'm a little scared too."

"Really?" She asked. "Why?"

He smiled. "Because I've never felt this way about anyone before."

Charlie's heart felt like it was going to erupt from her chest. "Neither have I." She said, kissing him again.

"But aren't you the least bit worried about what the media's gonna say about all this?" She furrowed her brow, "Sebastian Monroe two timing his girlfriend and then dumping her for his costar? Because you know that's the story they're gonna go with. Whatever gets them the most clicks."

He laughed carelessly. "Those reporters get off on talking trash and sensationalizing news. It's all they know how to do. As long as you know how I feel, nothing else really matters."

"And what about that sex tape?"

Bass pressed his mouth into a straight line. "I'd rather not think about that right now."

Charlie simpered, "Alright." Leaning back on the hood of the car, she looked up at the faint stars in the heavens, unable to believe how fast everything had changed.

She felt his hands move slowly along her sides. His lips made contact with her neck, carefully nipping at supple skin and causing her center to pulse in return. Charlie felt like she was spiraling into the unknown, and she'd never been more happy to lose control.

* * *

 **Please review if you have a spare second. Thank you! xoxo**


	6. Chapter 6

**Thank you so much for sticking with this story even though I take forever to update! You guys are awesome!**

* * *

 **Chapter Six: On Top of the World**

* * *

Wrapped in the comfort of her warm sheets, Charlie awoke with a smile on her face, just like a kid on Christmas morning. She could still taste him in her mouth, the sweet scent of his body was infused in her mind, and the way he felt against her—God, the way he felt against her gave way to a rush of dopamine that invaded all her senses and ignited the heat between her legs. She turned on her side, replaying the night before in her mind over and over like the most unbelievable of dreams.

Charlie sighed.

It was 6am on a Saturday. She had nowhere else to be and she didn't mind one bit staying home all day if it meant being consumed with thoughts of him.

She was just snuggling up in her covers when the sound of her phone jarred her thoughts. The image on the screen made her heart sputter. Her fingers couldn't move fast enough to answer the call.

She cleared her throat before speaking, trying to sound more like she'd been awake for hours and less like a chain smoker. "Hello?"

There was a pause at the other end before he replied. "You're not still in bed are you?" Bass's voice had a hint of mischief and his captivating accent only intensified Charlie's craving for him.

"Maybe." She answered flirtatiously. "And I wouldn't mind a cuddle buddy." Charlie bit her lip a bit, flustered by the admission.

Bass laughed, "That does sound very tempting." In the background she could hear the squawking of seagulls and the faint sound of crashing waves. "But as much as I want to come over and–" he paused, "Cuddle... I was actually wondering if you'd like to do a little surfing."

She sat up on the bed, "Right now? I've never surfed before in my life."

He laughed again. It was sweet and sexy and vastly irresistible. "Yes, right now. And don't worry, I can teach you."

Charlie threw the covers to one side, "Okay. Where should I meet you?" She said a little too eagerly.

* * *

Bass's eyes were glued to her as she slipped off her shorts and then discarded her shirt. Her body was perfectly toned, curved in all the right places, and tanned from all those long past summer days. He smiled, tilting his head as she stepped into the wetsuit and contemplating the way her breasts succumbed to gravity as she leaned forward. He got sucked into a daydream of all the things he'd love to do to her.

When he snapped out of his reverie, she was standing upright, her hands on her hips and one eyebrow raised questioningly. Bass smiled sheepishly and looked out into the ocean. His forehead furrowed as he spoke. "Let's start with the basics."

Charlie nodded and trailed behind him as they made their way down the beach and towards the water's edge. Her eyes fell over his back, the wetsuit clinging to his body like a glove and calling her attention to his admirable masculine backside. She smiled to herself. Charlie had a feeling the day would be one to remember.

The water was sparkling as if drizzled with diamonds. The rays of the sun reflected off its surface, giving its blue hue a blinding white glow. The seagulls flew over their head, searching for an early morning meal. There was hardly anyone on the beach, the only people aside from them were the guys working out at Muscle Beach Gym and the runners on the boardwalk.

"Is Venice Beach the best place for surfing?" Charlie asked, staring at the large waves.

He nodded, "It's one of the best spots. Huntington Beach and Santa Monica are my two other favorite places." He smiled. "Don't worry, we won't be going in too far into the ocean today."

She laughed, "I trust you know what you're doing."

Bass set both surfboards down on the sand facing the water, and stepped towards her.

"I'm glad you agreed to come. I was dying to see you." He admitted, going in for a kiss. Charlie smiled, pressing her lips into his mouth and for a moment forgetting they were out in plain view for everyone to see. She placed a hand on his arm as his tongue gently moved inside her mouth.

"Me too." She replied, kissing him one more time.

"Alright. Let's get started." It pained him to put an end to it but he figured they'd have plenty of more time for that later. At least, he hoped so.

Charlie beamed, "Okay."

He began to demonstrate. "The first thing you want to do is lie down like this to paddled into the water," Charlie followed suit. "Try to have your toes always touching the back of the surfboard."

"Like this?" She asked.

He looked over at her, his eyes sweeping across her outstretched body. "Looks really great." He replied, curling up one corner of his mouth seductively. "You'll find that Venice has more good waves than bad, so when you're out there and see a good one coming in, you want to make sure not to miss the opportunity to ride it out. To pop up, use your arms to push up and then come to your knees."

Charlie looked at him like he was making it up as he went, finding the pose a little suggestive.

"I swear to God, this is really how it's done." He said with a laugh and then showed her what he meant.

She did as he instructed. Bass nodded in approval as his heart accelerated its pace. He never imagined teaching her how to surf would cause such a stir in him. He'd obviously never had the right partner up until then.

"Now you want to bring your right foot forward like this," he showed her, "And come all the way up on your back foot, keeping your feet apart." Charlie continued to listen and imitate his movements. "Make sure your body stays centered and the arches of your feet are over the line going down the board. Bend your knees and put your arms out to your side."

He stepped off the board, "There's really not much more than that, really."

Charlie looked at him dubiously. "I'm going to eat shit, aren't I?"

Bass chuckled, "I didn't say it was going to be easy."

She scrunched her face. "Alright. Let's do this!"

* * *

They'd been out in the water for a couple hours, and Charlie could count in one hand the number of times she'd managed to pop up on her board. The joy only lasted a few seconds before she plummeted back into the sea. But it had been fun nonetheless. After her body had had enough, she retreated to the beach, sitting on the sand and focusing all her attention on Bass who masterfully maneuvered through the waves like a pro.

She didn't think he could be any sexier but he'd obviously proved her wrong.

After half an hour, he walked towards her with surfboard in tow, his whole body drenched in salt water. The curls on his head relaxed and wet as the beaming sun behind him gave him a heavenly glow. Charlie looked up at him, blinded by the light.

"You're amazing." She praised him.

"I don't think you can call me that just yet." He winked, making her heart flutter and her stomach clench.

Bass extended his hand and pulled her up to her feet. "What do you say we grab some food to go and head back to my place to wash off this salt water?"

"Your place?" Charlie muttered, "As in your new place in Malibu?"

He grinned. "Well, Australia's a little too far away, so I think Malibu will have to do." He tilted up her chin with his fingers and placed a kiss on her mouth.

Charlie tasted the seawater residue on his lips. She wanted him more than ever. "I'd love see it."

* * *

"Holy shit." She said, as he gave her a tour of the home. Her mouth parted in awe at the flawless structure.

The furniture was white with splashes of bluish-green decorative touches. The kitchen had linoleum flooring and marble countertops. And an island in the middle that served as a breakfast table. Charlie was enamored. She let out a shriek when he showed her the library, and Bass loved nothing more than seeing the joyous expression on her face.

His office was decorated with Civil War Era collectibles and movie memorabilia, including the original Republic flag they'd used on his film. In the corner, his desk contained half written scripts he was currently working on and pictures of his family who resided in Australia.

The home sat atop the cliffs of Malibu with no nearby neighbors to meddle in his business. It was private and stunning, with five bedrooms, a pool, spa, and a deck on the second story that had a majestic view of the ocean. And even with all those attributes, it was still considered modest by Hollywood standards.

Seeing the Pacific Ocean from that altitude made Charlie feel like she was on top of the world. In the distance she could make out the Santa Monica pier, like a miniature toy floating over the water. She looked down at the pool beneath the deck, the crystalline waters danced with the light breeze from the palm trees.

"Do you want to go for a swim before taking a shower?" He asked, wrapping his arms around her from behind and pressing his chin on her shoulder. They looked like a newlywed couple in full bliss.

"Only if you're going to join me." Charlie replied, turning slightly to peck his lips.

"Hm. I'm not sure that was convincing enough. How about you try again? I think I can be persuaded."

Charlie smiled and spun around, placing a heated kiss on him and teasingly biting down on his lower lip. Bass was consumed by the tantalizing swirl of her tongue. He went in for more but she quickly pulled away, playfully pushing him away with one finger. "You'll have to jump in that pool if you want to continue this."

His mouth dropped open and his eyes glistened with want as he watched her walk away.

* * *

Charlie floated on her back, clad in a little white bathing suit as she moved her arms gracefully. Bass dove into the depths of the pool like the most skilled of swimmers and then came back up beneath her, clasping to her waist and making her splash erratically.

He laughed as she struggled to stay afloat.

"You can be such an ass. I don't even know why I like you so much." She said between laughs.

Bass pulled her in, lost in the captivating pull of her eyes. "You need a reminder?" He kissed her gently.

"Maybe." She returned the kiss with more passion, as her heart began to beat incessantly and the craving suddenly returned with greater force. His hands traced the bend of her waist, fingers etching imaginary trails over her sides.

Charlie felt a chill run through her body, the gratifying sensation reaching her core. She felt it pulse, slowly at first and intermittently. But the more he kissed her and the lower his hands ran over her body, the faster it pulsated. Her center was heated, aching to be satisfied. She wrapped her legs around his hips, searching for some friction to give her a bit of relief.

Bass was already hard under his swimsuit. His length pressed against the spot between her legs, throbbing with need as they kissed with more urgency. Charlie's tongue brushed over his teeth, darting inward and flicking the roof of his mouth. He dug his fingers into the flesh of her ass, his mouth sucking on her neck as Charlie moved against him.

She moaned, wet and desperate for him.

He massaged her breast over her top, his hands slowly moving to untie it. He kissed her neck, her chin, and then enveloped her lips again. "Feel free to stop me whenever you want." He muttered.

Charlie didn't object to his actions. She helped him remove her top, her perky, full breasts were a feast for his eyes. "You're so beautiful." He said, wrapping his hands over them and playing with her nipples.

She whimpered, throwing her head back. He leaned towards her, his mouth clamping to one of her breasts as he sucked on it. His teeth softly bit down on her little nub and he reveled in the taste of her skin before moving on to the other. He squeezed and pulled with his fingertips and then nipped at them again.

When Charlie came back up, she was breathing heavily, her heart pounding in her chest and her center aching with want. Bass had a gleam of desire in his eyes. He knew Charlie wanted more. His hand moved between her legs, cupping her precious mound and feeling her ardent need for him materialize between his fingers. He rubbed her clit over the fabric, his finger slid up and down before moving the cloth barrier to the side.

Her folds were velvety and warm, and his fingers slid with ease towards her heated center. Charlie pulled him in closer, her mouth nipping at his hungrily. She looked him in the eyes as she dipped one hand under the band of his swimsuit. His cock was pulsing, thick and hard for her.

There was an automatic mutual agreement between them as she guided his tip towards her entrance. Her breathing hitched and she gasped in delight as he continued to fill her up. Being underwater made everything feel new to her, it was like nothing she'd ever experienced before. She held on to his shoulders as he bucked his hips, slowly pounding deeper into her depths.

Charlie moaned, her hands clasping to his hair and her lips repeating his name as he drove into her. The way their bodies moved in sync and the way she fit perfectly into him like the corresponding piece of a puzzle, heightened their sexual experience. Charlie was more than Bass could have ever hoped for.

He loved the way she whimpered every time she came, and the way her body writhe in satisfaction when he entered her time and time again. The breathes that escaped her mouth accompanied by little cries of gratification were enough to make him reach his peak. Bass held her close, grunting and moaning as he spilled into her.

They remained connected for a few moments. Her arms draped over him as they held each other in an embrace. When Charlie looked up she smiled, overjoyed and unashamed by what had taken place.

"Like I said," she whispered, "You're amazing."

Bass laughed and gave her a kiss.

* * *

Charlie leaned against the doorframe, completely naked and with a rolled up towel hugged against her chest. "Are you sure you don't want to take part in California's efforts to conserve water?" She asked with a smirk.

"Oh babe, I would like nothing more, but I've got twenty," he raised up his phone, "Twenty! Missed calls from Jeremy. I think it's better if I call him back before he shows up unannounced." He furrowed his eyebrows. "That is, if he's not already on his way."

Charlie widened her eyes and tiptoed backwards into the bathroom. "In that case, I better shower and get some clothes on." She giggled.

Bass's voice was virtually inaudible over the falling water inside the shower. Charlie reveled in the relaxing herbal smells of the shampoo and the perfect temperature of the water falling over her. And even though her shower was short lived, she managed to enjoy every second of it. Of course, anything after that mind-blowing sex session was impossible not to enjoy, Charlie felt like she had rainbow goggles on. Everything was perfection and bliss.

She dried her hair with the towel and then wrapped it around her before stepping out into the bedroom. When she opened the door, Bass was just finishing up his call with Jeremy.

"So that's it? We can't do anything else but wait?" He asked, sounding disgruntled.

Jeremy's voice was loud enough to make out. His response only confirmed what Bass had just asked.

"Okay, we'll keep in touch. Call me as soon as anything new comes up." He huffed, "Thank you. Bye."

Charlie looked at him puzzled, "Is everything okay?"

Bass looked up at her. His expression bewildered and forlorn. "Duncan sold the video to Tinseltown." He muttered. "They posted it a few minutes ago."

* * *

 **Thoughts? Review, if you have a moment. Thanks you! xoxo**


	7. Chapter 7

**Wishing you the happiest of birthday, romeokijai! Enjoy :)**

* * *

 **Chapter Seven: Business and Pleasure**

* * *

The laptop sat on the desk, staring back at them blankly. Silence eroded through the room the longer they stood there motionless and mute. Charlie had changed back into her morning clothes, her hair tousled and still wet from her warm shower. Her heart was beating fast, her palms were sweaty. There was a queasy feeling in her stomach every time she thought about what was floating on the web.

Outside, the sun had already set. The shore was lit with twinkling lights from the homes that lined the coast. The setting was perfect for a romantic dinner but the thought of eating was the furthest thing from their mind. Bass kept going over names in his head—a bulleted list of all the people he'd have to apologize to in the event the video truly was as horrific as he thought.

The crashing of the waves and the ticking of the clock on the wall had become the evening's soundtrack.

Charlie took a deep breathe and moved towards the computer like she was approaching a rabid dog who was threatening to strike at any moment. Her mouth was a flat line, one hand reaching to click the keyboard. It was like she was handling a bomb.

"Wait." Bass said as the laptop came to life. "Look, if this is really happening… If it really is me in that video–" He sighed, running his hands through his hair in a frantic manner, his blue eyes looking into the distance at the dark ocean waters.

It was evident he was scared, Charlie could sense his fear and in that moment, all she could do was wish that there was something she could say or do to ease the situation. She stared at him for a long minute. His brow was crinkled, eyes angsty and mouth slightly parted as if he wanted to say more.

"I don't want to lose you, Charlie. I just got you." He said, a tinge of a smile creeping out of the corner of his mouth.

She felt like her heart had just taken a tumble. The situation seemed grim but it was hard for her to hear those words and not smile like a total fool. He had that effect on her. "That's why you're so scared?" She asked, "You think you're going to lose me over this?"

Bass thought of Duncan's words that day in his trailer. She'd sounded so convincing when she said Charlie wouldn't be able to see past a scandal of that magnitude. But seeing his beauty standing before him and the way she handled herself with such poise and dignity made him question his own initial judgement Charlie was stronger and braver than he'd imagined.

He expelled a load of hot air and sat on the edge of the bed. Charlie joined him, placing the laptop over a pillow. "Moment of truth." She muttered.

There it was. Front page of _Tinseltown_ and in huge white letters, EXCLUSIVE! Sebastian Monroe's Sex Tape. Charlie's throat felt like it was being blocked by an invisible object. The anxiety was making her chest feel like it was shrinking in place as she clicked on the button. The video began playing right away.

The camera angles were odd, bed sheets taking up half of the screen at one point and only revealing a blurry image of a naked man stepping out of a hotel bathroom. He looked like Bass, same build and identical hair.

The audio was a bit distorted but there was definitely an Australian accent in the mix. The blonde woman on the screen was voluptuous. There was no doubt she was a professional actress by the way she performed and what she was saying. It was not her first rodeo.

Charlie's eyes went wide on the next cut, as it abruptly changed to the blonde giving him head. She looked away, feeling nauseous and a bit lightheaded.

"That's not me." Bass said, the color returning to his face.

Those words felt like an influx of fresh oxygen to Charlie's depleted lungs. She looked at him, the video still running on the screen. "He looks and sounds a lot like you." Her response wasn't meant to undermine him in any way. It was just a clear observation, one that was also being made by many of his fans and people who loved reading gossip sites.

"And it doesn't help that she keeps calling him Sebastian." Charlie muttered.

The man on the video spoke, the resemblance in tone was uncanny. But the fact that his face was only partially shown in many of the shots made Bass's defense that much stronger. It was obvious that whoever edited the video was trying to keep his identity hidden. While a good thing and a confirmation for Charlie that the man in fact was not Bass, to everyone else watching, it would make perfect sense for him not to want to show his face.

Charlie's breathing had eased up quite a bit. She returned her eyes to the screen for the last few seconds of the video, a scene so preposterous and unhinged it could only have been performed by actors who knew what they were doing.

A laugh left Charlie's lips—a response that caught Bass off guard. "Is that a nervous laugh or a _ha ha it's hilarious_ laugh?" He pursed his lips, "Because neither seem very appropriate right now."

She shook her head, "Sorry. It's just that I noticed something."

He narrowed his eyes, "What?"

Charlie moved the cursor a third into the video and clicked, "That."

Bass looked at the screen a bit perplexed by what he was supposed to be looking at. It was one of the few times he was viewing something smutty without being busy with his hand. He never imagined that watching something like that with Charlie would be subject of scrutiny instead of kinky foreplay.

"A blowjob?" He asked hesitantly.

"His dick." Charlie said bluntly. "I'm uh—a very observant person. Especially when it comes to you." There was a hint of red to her cheeks as she shut the laptop and set it aside.

It was the first time since he'd received the call that Bass actually laughed. "You're saying you could pick my cock from a lineup?" His accent billowed around his words.

Her mouth dropped open, "As a matter of fact, yes. I think I could." She was now laughing along with him. It was a nice break from the otherwise dreadful situation.

Bass touched her hair, making her tingly as he tucked it behind her ear. His thumb brushed against her temple, eyes captivated by her radiant smile. His body felt like it was awakening from a state of hibernation, his hormones swirling in a craze as he went in for a kiss.

Charlie's body felt ignited, a heat unrolling in her insides. She bit his bottom lip before allowing his tongue entrance to her mouth. Her fingertips dove into his hair as she cocked her head to one side, deepening her hold on him. She knew it was selfish of her to feel the way she did but she couldn't help it. Bass was hers, and no one, not even Duncan and her lame attempt to discredit him, would change that.

"What now?" She asked, her mouth still lingering on his.

Bass sighed. "I need to call Jeremy."

* * *

"So what you're saying is what, exactly?" Jeremy said over speaker phone. They could hear the sounds of traffic in the background as he drove through the city. "Fucking asshole," he muttered referring to a driver who had cut him off.

Bass cleared his throat, "Whatever you can do. File the lawsuit, pull the video, make a statement. You're my fucking PR manager for god's sake."

"Trust me, calling the lawyers was the first thing I did after we hung up earlier. They're up to date on everything. Well," he paused for a while. "Except for the part where the only evidence that it's not really you is your cock. I don't know how we're gonna prove that one."

Bass looked at Charlie and rolled his eyes. "Can you get the video pulled from the site?"

"Sure." Jeremy replied, "Can you send me a picture of your dick so I can give _Tinseltown_ a good enough reason to do it?"

Charlie cracked a smile and shook her head. "Sorry Jeremy, no can do. But I can make a statement if you want." Up until then she had been quiet, catching Jeremy off guard.

"Charlie?" He paused for a second, "Wait. You guys are together right now?" He gasped, "As in _together_ together?" There was a hint of happiness to his voice.

Bass and Charlie looked at each other.

"Nora is going to love hearing about this."

"You're not focusing on the issue, Jeremy." Bass sounded frustrated.

"Alright. Forgive me for being happy you two finally got laid." He muttered, "I'll see what I can do about the video." The traffic noises died down as he entered his residential area. "In the meantime, it's probably better if you let Nora and I do the talking, for legal reasons."

Bass nodded as if he could see him. "Okay. Oh and Jeremy, what about getting a few days off this week until things settle down a bit?"

Jeremy clicked his mouth. "Nora was taking care of that. We kind of split the work on this one but to be honest, I'm sure I got fucked over because this lawsuit thing will not be a walk in the park."

"Thanks, Jer." Charlie said sweetly.

"Yeah, yeah." He replied, "Just don't ever make a fucking sex tape. And if you do, don't record it on your phone like a moron. Real or not, I'd like to never go through this again." He parked and gathered his things, "Okay. I gotta go. Expect a call from Nora soon."

They hung up.

Charlie fell over on the bed, putting her hands on the back of her head and staring up at the ceiling. Bass watched her from afar at first, her long legs dangling over the side as she laid there silently. The corner of his mouth moved forming a half smile and he approached her. He leaned over, his feet still planted on the ground but his upper body hovering over her. She simpered.

"Are you sure you're okay?" Bass asked with a tone of concern, his hands to her sides, holding him up in place.

She nodded, "I'm sure."

He smiled, kissing her slowly at first but rapidly becoming consumed by his need for her. Charlie remained in the same position, enjoying the fact that he had dominance over her for the time being. His mouth moved slowly over her jawline, and she tipped her head back as a sign that she wanted him to continue.

The tiny sighs and moans rumbling in her throat were setting him on fire. He brushed his lips over her neck, nipping at her collarbones and chest, slowly and teasingly. Perching himself up with one hand, he slipped the other under her shirt, coming to the pleasant realization that she wasn't wearing a bra. He groaned, encompassing her breast with his hand and gently playing with it before stimulating her nipple with his fingers.

Charlie moaned, slightly arching her back and feeling the heat building between her legs. Her center was in agony, pulsing and begging for more.

Their moment of bliss was short lived.

Bass's loud ringtone shattered it in an instant. They froze in place, both looking over at the nightstand where the phone rested. Charlie grumbled under her breath and Bass was equally annoyed by the interruption.

"You have to get it." She said, "It's probably Nora."

Bass twisted his mouth and rolled over on the bed, lifting himself up to a seated position and grabbing the phone. He nodded at Charlie, showing her the screen.

"Hey, Nora." He said calmly. Charlie raised her eyebrows, only hearing muffled noise coming from the other end. "Yeah, we talked to him a few minutes ago."

He realized Charlie couldn't hear a single word and switched it to speaker.

"The studio is really upset." Nora stated, "I've been getting yelled at for the past hour over this piece of shit video."

"I don't know what else to say except, I'm sorry." He replied. "This is all my fault, I should've dealt with Duncan differently."

"She's a crazy bitch, there was no way of knowing she'd do this." Nora replied.

Charlie chimed in, "How bad is the situation with the studio?"

"Jeremy told me you were there, Charlie." She said, delaying her response to her question. "It was nice having a bit of good news amid the clusterfuck." Charlie could almost make out a smile on the other end.

"But to answer your question, they're pretty mad. As you can imagine, taking days off is not an option right now. They want you two back to work Monday morning." She huffed, "They're scared that this is somehow going to drive viewers away, which is utter bullshit. Anyway, they're willing to close off the set—meaning, no fans allowed whatsoever until all of this boils over."

Charlie glanced at Bass, a bit disappointed by the fact that the studio was being so pushy and not very supportive. "When can we talk to press?" She asked.

Nora laughed, "That's completely out of the question right now." She pondered over their options, "But you can definitely tweet something to the fans. It doesn't have to be a statement per se, but something to let them know they have nothing to worry about."

Charlie agreed. "That's a really good idea."

"Run it past me first, yes? Just to be safe."

Charlie smiled. "Will do. Thanks for everything, Nora."

"No problem. Oh and by the way, Miles is well aware of everything that is going on and it should come as no surprise that he's less than thrilled. Which reminds me, I have to give him a call and update him on the latest developments."

"Uncle Miles, unhappy about something? Never would've guessed." Charlie uttered.

Nora chuckled, "I'm getting a call on the other line. I think it's him. I'll keep in touch if anything comes up."

* * *

It was a strange experiencing arriving on set Monday morning. It felt like that one scene in that vampire movie when the couple shows up in the parking lot together and everyone is staring at them like they're a circus oddity.

Charlie smiled at the crew, greeting them as usual as she and Bass headed to wardrobe and makeup.

"What a bunch of judgmental pricks." Bass said, alluding to the guys setting up the lights and equipment. Their eyes were like lasers burning through him.

Charlie huffed, "They're probably more curious than anything."

"Can't they be curious without having to stare at me like I have an extra head?"

She couldn't help making a pun. "They're staring at you because they think they've seen your extra head."

He chuckled, shoving her playfully as they entered the room.

The new makeup girl showed up, laying out her palettes and brushes on the vanity and pretending not to hear a single word they were saying. She smirked and then made a comment about how perfect the weather was before applying a layer of moisturizer on Charlie's face.

Another woman began working on Bass, applying fake dirt and grime to his cheeks and ruffling up his hair to make it seem more disheveled.

After a few minutes of working on Charlie's appearance and fake battle wounds, the girl blurted. "I just want to say that I don't believe anything they're saying on those gossip sites."

The one painting cuts on Bass's face stopped for a moment and reprimanded her. "Rosie." She said between gritted teeth. "Focus on your job, please." Then she looked at Bass, "She's new, don't mind her."

"It's alright." Bass said. "It's better than the silent stares I've been getting since I got here."

The new girl nodded, "And I think your fan base is smart enough to realize it's all bullshit." She looked at him and then at Charlie, "They're very supportive of both of you."

Charlie looked at Bass's reflection in the mirror and smiled.

They were gonna be alright, she could feel it.

* * *

They'd been shooting for almost twelve hours, with only the occasional break. Charlie's scenes had already been completed for the day but she continued to stand in the sidelines watching Bass work. She was mesmerized by how gracefully he wielded a sword, there was something about the way he moved, it seemed almost effortless. Charlie was transfixed. He was a natural at his craft.

"Cut!" Blanchard yelled from behind the cameraman. "That was fucking beautiful!" He complimented his work.

Charlie silently clapped, smiling from ear to ear as Bass walked towards her. "He's right. You killed it."

Bass smirked. "Well compared to the shit performance I gave earlier, anything looks good."

She shook her head. "Don't be so hard on yourself. You did great."

They began walking back to the trailer, everyone chattering about the day and their plans for the next. Now that their work was done, it was back to the real world. The voices died down the further they got from the set. Bass climbed up the stairs and kicked the door of the trailer open. Charlie followed close behind.

He opened the mini fridge and pulled out two bottles of water, "I don't know how I'd be handling all this if you weren't here." He twisted off the cap of his bottle and took a giant gulp.

"Jeremy knows what he's doing. And look," she pulled out her phone and showed him the thousands of replies she had received on her tweet throughout the day. Some of them made Bass chuckle. "They love you despite what the media is saying." She grinned.

The support and loyalty of his fans, although just through a screen, really lifted his spirits. "They also really want you to tell them if we're dating, apparently." He pointed at one tweet in particular.

She laughed, "Yeah but that's something I'm not prepared to share with the world just yet." She came up on her toes just enough to reach his lips and pecked them. "I want it to be just ours for a little longer."

He set his water bottle on the counter and took her in for a more passionate kiss. Charlie missed the way he smelled after a long day of work, it always brought her back to the time when she was just figuring out how she felt about him. His scent conveyed a type of nostalgia that never failed to make her stomach flutter. It was like she was living the best of both moments in time. It was an indescribable feeling that would make her sound insane if she tried to explain it.

Bass hoisted her up on the counter, positioning himself between her legs as he began stripping off her clothes. Their breathing intensified as the cloth barriers disappeared. The feel of her tanned, smooth skin coming in contact with his fingers was exhilarating. Charlie made it so easy for him to forget about everything.

Her fingernails scratched his back, pressing into hard muscle as her mouth suckled his neck. Normally she would've thought about the fact that leaving her mark on him would give people reasons to talk but in that moment, she didn't care about anything or anyone else.

Bass made love to her like he'd been deprived of it, touching every inch of skin, skimming along every curve and treating her like she was a rare treasure.

There were no phone calls. No rude knocks on the door. No interruptions.

Just them.

* * *

 **Thanks for reading. Please leave me a quick review if you have time. xoxo**


	8. Chapter 8

**I'm alive! Just suffering from terrible lack of motivation. Don't get me wrong, I absolutely adore and will forever love Charloe but it's difficult to write when there's no inspiration. Anyway, I have not abandoned this fic and I'm determined to finish it sooner rather than later. Thank you to those of you who are still with me!**

* * *

 **Chapter Eight: A Sudden Twist Of Fate**

* * *

The days passed, disappearing like the remnants of a sinking ship at sea. The Blackout was approaching some of the most pivotal scenes of the season and the tension and stakes were higher than ever, but it seemed like the real life tempest surrounding Charlie and Bass was finally starting to reach a calm. The show's set had been closed for a whole week and Charlie and Bass felt safe in their little haven, tucked away from the real world.

They had reached the end of the last working day of the week without a hitch.

Bass looked over at Charlie who hadn't stopped looking at him since his scene had wrapped. She smiled playfully at him as he spoke with Blanchard about the following week's plan.

"And then we'll have you running towards her." Blanchard said excitedly, "It's gonna be heartbreaking and the perfect culmination to the scene." He babbled on but it was clear he had already lost Bass. He was too focused on Charlie to any attention to what he was saying. Blanchard cocked an eyebrow. "And then… you're going to fuck a monkey in the ass until we cut to black."

"Yeah, sounds great." Bass replied, turning his gaze back to him and pretending like he'd been listening all along.

Blanchard laughed. "Get the fuck out of here. You're obviously done for the day." He winked at him and patted him on the shoulder, shaking and scratching his head as he walked away.

Bass paced towards Charlie, her head tilted to the side as he got closer. She grinned, "You will have women swooning with that entrance for sure." Charlie noted, referring to what he'd just shot.

He laughed, feeling a little self conscious about the whole thing. "Just because you liked it doesn't mean every woman who watches the show will feel the same way."

"Oh come on. I saw you do that smoldering eye thing you do." She tried to imitate him. "It's sexy as hell."

Bass chuckled. "If you say so."

His arm wrapped around her, his fingers resting on her hip. The set was still busy with crew members but neither cared to be seen together. Everyone knew they were an item, it was no secret.

They began their usual walk back to the trailer, same way they did every day after shooting.

He stepped up to the door of his trailer and opened it for her. Charlie smiled and then stepped inside. Taking off her jacket, she threw it over the back of a chair before pivoting on one foot and deliberately crashing into his chest. Without warning, she elevated herself on her toes and kissed his lips. There was a hunger there that indicated she was in a frisky mood.

He smiled, pleased. "Mmmm. If this is the reception I get, I will do the eye thing more often."

Charlie bit her lip, her gaze turning dark with desire. "That whole scene at the end was unexpectedly hot." She licked his lips. "Could also just be my raging hormones talking."

"Not sure if that's a compliment or…" Charlie interrupted him with another kiss, making stumble backwards in the most endearing of ways.

Bass held her close, his hands running along her sides and settling on the roundness of her ass as her teeth nipped the flesh of his lips. He hummed, his body aroused by her taste and sweet smell. It took only a few licks and touches to jolt his cock awake. She smiled when she felt it press against her abdomen.

Charlie didn't consider herself a temptress by any means but Bass always managed to stir up her deepest desires. She lost all sense of inhibition when she was with him. Her hand trailed over his stomach, playing with the buttons of his shirt, all the while spreading kisses along his jawline and the bend of his neck. Bass closed his eyes for a moment, surrendering to the sensation.

Before he knew it, she was cupping his hard bulge, her fingers providing the most tantalizing stimulation to his manhood. His breathing hitched.

She looked up at him, her dirty intentions reflected in her eyes. Bass grunted in satisfaction as she began rubbing his hardness, her own center ignited with want.

Curling her lip into a seductive smile, she pushed him against the wall of the trailer. Bass was pleasantly surprised by her dominant nature. As any hot blooded man would, he went along with her playful aggressiveness, growing harder by the second as her hands desperately tugged at his shirt. Charlie kissed his chest, the saltiness of his sweat encompassing her tongue as she continued to stroke him over his jeans.

Bass stripped off her top, a black bra pushing up her breasts. Charlie quickly slipped it off and then helped him out of his jacket and shirt. Her bare chest collided with his, the touch of his skin erecting her nipples and infusing her with pleasure. She was wet, panting under her breath as the heat accumulated in her core.

Their tongues met, his hands wrapped around her plump breasts. His touch was meticulous, pinching and pulling her pebbled nipples as she continued to grind against him. Between kisses and moans, she managed to undo the button of his jeans and slowly pulled down on the zipper.

As much as her body yearned for him and as much as she wanted to feel him inside her, she couldn't get the thought of his taste off her mind.

Charlie dropped to her knees. The ardent look on her face and the way she licked her lips made his heart sputter. Bass was dying to feel her heated mouth around him. He tilted his head back against the wall, breathing heavily with anticipation as his cock throbbed with want. She pulled down his jeans, his length springing out in front of her.

With a firm grip around his girth, she began stroking him slowly. Bass groaned, her name leaving his lips as he watched from above. She teasingly licked his tip, wrapping her tongue around him like he was a scrumptious dessert. His narrowed eyes focused on her wanting mouth as she took him in.

He gasped, as he filled her warm, wet entrance. Charlie sucked him off inch by inch, the noises escaping her mouth and her satisfied slurps were exhilarating.

Bass moaned as her teeth gently brushed against his shaft. The captivating look in her eyes and the way she moved, each time aiming to devour more of him, were getting him that much closer to coming. His mouth parted, eyes trailing over her naked back. They moved down her spine and over the wideness of her hips, her jeans riding low over the spectacular curves of her ass and leaving the rest to his imagination. It only increased his need to want to see and touch was was underneath.

Charlie flipped her hair to one side, her tongue pressing against his length and tasting every bit of his silky cock. She released him with a pop at the same time he lifted her up and slowly guided her away from where she'd cornered him.

She let out a muffled yelp as he turned her over on the couch. Her core was pounding with need, hot and damp, waiting to be satiated. Bass came up behind her, his hands enclosing her hips as he rapidly undid her jeans. He yanked them off, licking his lips at the sight of the little black thong clinging to her ass. He slipped his fingers under the lace waistband and slid it down slowly, his eyes feasting on the perfect bends of her backside and the way her soft skin felt beneath his fingers.

Charlie looked over her shoulder. "I need you to fuck me, Bass."

He smiled, "Trust me darling, I will." He smacked her ass, and lowered himself closer to it. Gliding his fingers over her warm skin, he trailed this middle finger over her center, dipping it ever so slowly into her wet opening. Charlie whimpered, her breathing ragged. "But you can't possibly deprive me of this." He muttered.

He fucked her gently with one finger before slipping in a second. She was dripping and ready for him. Charlie writhed and moaned. She was so lost in the pleasure, that the feel of his tongue between her folds came as a surprise, sending a gratifying shock through her body. Bass slurped her up, eating her out with zeal and satisfying her clit with the tip of his tongue. He sucked on it in a venerating manner before gliding his tongue up and down her wet slit.

Charlie was in a state of ecstasy. The continued stimulation and the way his fingers penetrated her entrance finally brought her over the edge. She whimpered loudly, his touch making her shatter.

"Holy fuck." She muttered, the most joyful of expressions on her face as she rolled over on the couch and adjusted herself.

Bass smirked, positioning himself between her legs. "Now I will fuck you." He stated, making her laugh. He pushed his cock inside her without warning, reveling in the tight grip of her walls closing in around him.

Delving into her depths, he satiated her want with every thrust of his hips. His hands touched her sweat sheathed body, caressing each curve like he was doing it for the first time. The softness of her skin beneath his fingertips was like warm satin. Not an inch of her body was left unexplored. Charlie wrapped her fingers around his curls, yanking his hair as he continued to drive into her with force.

Bass knew there was nothing better than being with her. The way her eyes burrowed into his, the sound of his name between whimpers and moans, the way her body snaked every time he made her come, he'd never get tired of any of it.

Charlie climbed on top of him, her hips swiveling and breasts flowing in beat with the movements of her body. She placed her hands on his shoulders as she bounced up and down his cock, fast at first and then teasingly slowing down her pace.

Bass begged her not to stop.

She leaned in, darting her tongue into his parted mouth as she once again began moving at a faster speed. His hands clasped her ass and his warm breath filled her mouth as he burst inside her with a loud grunt. Her undulating hips slowed down until they came to a full stop.

She kissed his sweaty forehead, then his lips, before leaning her head against the hollow of his neck. They were both breathless.

* * *

Charlie snapped on her bra, smiling when she felt his lips come in contact with her shoulder blade. She turned, releasing a loud and content sigh as she watched Bass button his jeans.

"We should do that more often."

He grinned, "Yes, we should."

They both turned their attention to the counter, as his phone began vibrating followed a split second later by the sound of the ringtone.

"It's Jeremy."

Charlie laughed. "Customized ringtone, huh?"

He cocked his head, "Can you blame me?"

"Nope." She smiled.

The call was quick. Charlie didn't even have time to try to piece it together but she got a sense that it wasn't an urgent or pressing matter. Bass's expression was still serene and his smile was gentle and warm just like his gaze.

"He wants to know if we're up for a midnight show." He raised his eyebrows.

"What?" She looked at the time. "Where?"

"Jeremy's boyfriend knows someone who's performing at The Mint in about an hour. Apparently, Miles and Nora are already there."

Charlie slipped on her jacket, "They do realize people are not always at their beckoned call, right?" She said with a smirk. "Maybe I'm getting old but I really don't like last minute plans." Her tone was whiny.

Bass chuckled, "We can stay in. I don't mind."

"However," she remarked, causing a grin to appear on his face. "We haven't seen them in a week and I do miss them. Anyone else I would blow off." Charlie smiled. "And after what we just did, a glass of whiskey doesn't sound half bad."

He pulled her into him, pecking her lips. "That's my girl."

She giggled, grabbing the keys off the table and guiding him towards the door.

* * *

L.A. was buzzing with people. Charlie smiled at the drunk girls stumbling on the sidewalks of West Hollywood as they went from one bar to the next. The only good thing about going out that late was that the commute wasn't a nightmare.

"You know Jeremy's gonna flip when he realizes we went out without security, right?" Bass noted.

She exhaled loudly. "It's his fault for calling us so late. Besides, we've always done it this way. The whole security thing was his idea after the video debacle."

He smiled silently, placing his hand on her thigh as she continued to drive. They hadn't forgotten that issue was still unresolved.

They cruised down La Cienega Blvd, turning left on Pico and seeing the bar's signature green neon sign come into view just a few blocks down the road. There was still a line outside, an array of twenty and thirty-somethings waiting to be let into the tiny establishment.

Charlie grumbled, pulling forward and smiling at the valet attendant at the entrance. Bass was out of the car before the young man even opened the door for her. As soon as Bass reached the other side he could feel the eyes on him.

The chatter grew increasingly louder, remarks from those who recognized them blended with the sounds of music coming from inside the venue. A girl's shrilling cry erupted from the line.

"Sebastian! Charlotte!" Charlie's eyes went wide and her heart started pounding incessantly.

They hadn't been out since the media outlets began publishing trash. She'd known stepping back into the public eye would be daunting but she never imagined it would be that jarring.

As if by reflex, she looked in the girl's direction. There was a sense of relief that washed over her when she noticed the girl was smiling at them. Swinging her arms in the air like a person waving down a rescue team, she continued calling for them. Charlie flashed her a smile and waved back. Bass, taking note of her actions did the same, causing the girl to scream louder.

In a matter of seconds, others began doing the same, calling out to them fervently just like they had done during their promotion tour. Intermitted camera flashes went off at different locations. They were blinding but Charlie's only thought was that there were no insults being hurled at them or any sign of disapproval. She smiled again, this time at Bass. He took her hand in his and waved to the crowd one last time before heading inside.

* * *

Jeremy's brow was furrowed, his teeth clenched and face bordering on red. "It's like you guys love testing my patience."

Bass's lips were pressed into a flat line. He lifted one eyebrow and then spoke. "We're here. Nothing out of the ordinary happened."

Charlie was just letting go of Miles's embrace. She continued to greet Nora and Connor before returning her attention back to the verbal reprimanding Bass was receiving from Jeremy.

"Jer, you called us late. It was either we came or not, we didn't have time to call security detail." She smiled sweetly, touching his cheek gently like she was petting a puppy. "We're sorry."

Jeremy's mouth bent in disapproval. "I'm only letting this one slide because I do agree it was me who put you in this situation."

Charlie smiled and teasingly poked him in the ribs.

His demeanor quickly went from reproachful manager to elated friend. "And now that you're here," He looked over at Connor, "You finally get to meet my boyfriend."

Charlie, having already met him, waved at the handsome young man from afar.

Bass shook his hand, extending a warm greeting. The kid looked even younger in person than he did in pictures. Again, Bass reminded himself that he was in no position to judge Jeremy for dating someone younger than him. They exchanged a few words and Connor couldn't help admitting he'd been a long time fan of his work.

"She is stunning by the way." He pointed at Charlie and winked. "If I weren't gay you'd have some serious competition." Connor joked.

Bass suppressed a laugh, "Right."

After a few moments of all getting comfortable, the headlining performer was introduced to the stage. Connor explained that the artist was a local up-and-coming artist who also did a bit of modeling on the side just like him. Her voice had a raspy quality that gave her songs a rich and unique sound. Charlie loved it right away, as did the rest of the group.

Following the first song, the waitress came around with a round of whiskey and appetizers. There wasn't much time for conversation between songs, so they left the chatting for after the show. They were all too engrossed by the soulful tunes coming from the stage to try to talk anyway. Charlie and Bass's eyes connected every so often. He reached over the table, interlacing his fingers with hers during the performance, stealing glances when she wasn't looking.

Halfway through the set, the waitress came back with more whiskey and a couple of beers. Bass shook his head as Charlie offered him another shot. He grabbed the bottle of Pale Ale off the table and showed it to her.

Connor raised his hand, "I volunteer."

"Yes!" She said, handing it to him. "You're quickly becoming my favorite!"

"Anything for you gorgeous." Connor replied.

They clanked their glasses together and downed its contents.

The two had hit it off right away. Bass knew it was stupid and irrational but he couldn't help feeling a little jealous of their instant connection and budding friendship.

"Are you sure you're gay?" He teased him.

Connor smiled, "As sure as I am that besides my man, you are the hottest piece of ass here." He wiggled his eyebrows in a flirtatious way.

Charlie laughed, patting Bass's lap. He had it coming.

The set ended after about ten songs but the group remained in their seats, immersing themselves in chatter and enjoying their time together. Nora delivered the only bit of good news she knew.

"The fans aren't buying the whole tape thing." She said between sips. "They're questioning its validity. There's been some serious scrutinizing on their part."

"It's insane." Jeremy chimed in.

Nora agreed. "There are so many theories and detailed analyses that it would put FBI agents to shame."

Bass laughed. "That's great to hear. But I'm still waiting for someone to come forward and admit the truth." He lifted his beer off the table and tipped its remaining contents into his mouth.

"Regardless, the lawsuit is already in full swing. And luckily, the initial hype has already blown over." Jeremy said. "I think it's only a matter of time before Duncan breaks under pressure."

Miles shook his head, leaning closer into the table to direct his words at Bass. "But if for some fucked up reason it really is you on that tape and my niece gets her heart broken, there will be hell to pay." He warned, half joking.

Nora snorted with laughter, "That's the whiskey talking." She assured Bass. "We all know you had nothing to do with it."

Miles chuckled, taking a swig of his drink before focusing his eyes on someone at the other end of the room. "One of your friends outside alert the media?"

Bass turned slowly, noticing the paparazzi sitting at the table. He was trying a little too hard to be inconspicuous. Normally, Bass wouldn't have spotted him so easily. But this one was one he'd seen on more than one occasion.

"Might as well say hi." He said, leaning towards Charlie. She nodded and smiled.

Without turning around they raised their middle finger in the air, flipping him off long enough for him to capture the images.

They all laughed.

"Holy shit." Connor muttered, his eyes glued to the woman entering the bar at that moment. He looked at Charlie and laughed maniacally, "Holy shit!"

They all turned in that direction. "I don't get it." Miles said, sizing up the blonde. "She's pretty hot."

Nora rolled her eyes and punched him in the arm.

"But you're gay so it still doesn't make sense." He repeated.

They were all baffled by Connor's reaction to the woman. "Friend of yours?" Charlie asked.

"Girl!" Connor said, "That's her!"

A light bulb went on in Bass's head before Charlie even realized what Connor was referring to.

"Fuck." Bass muttered. "He's right."

Charlie looked at the woman again, noticing her long blonde hair and the pink strand falling over her fake breasts. It took a few seconds but there was absolutely no doubt in her mind that she was the same woman from the video.

"She's the one from the tape, Jeremy. That's her. I'm sure." She said in pauses.

"Are you guys serious? Maybe the beer goggles are making you see things." Miles said, trying to focus his eyes on her."

Nora nodded. "It's her. I remember the piercing on her top lip. How do you not recognize her?"

Miles shrugged. "I wasn't looking at her face." He said quietly.

Nora grimaced.

Charlie would've laughed if she hadn't been so worried about letting their one chance at public redemption slip away. "We have to go talk to her."

"No." Jeremy responded. "If you go over there and confront her, she'll run. We might not see her again."

Connor stood up. "I'll go talk to her." He smiled, "Trust me. I know what I'm doing." Without waiting for approval, he made his way to the blonde and immediately stroke up a conversation.

They all watched from behind their empty glasses, nervously anticipating Connor's return. They felt like creepy stalkers, constantly monitoring the situation. He bought her a drink, his charm making her blush a few times. The blonde was completely oblivious, flirting with him and constantly rubbing her giant tits against his arm.

"Oh honey, you are so barking up the wrong tree." Jeremy whispered.

After a while, she looked down at her phone and pointed towards the door. It wasn't clear what was happening, perhaps she was becoming wary of him or maybe she really did have somewhere else to be. Whatever it was, Connor wasn't letting her off so easy.

She twirled her hair before opening her purse and handing him a business card. He looked at it for a moment and then handed it back to her. She took out a pen and wrote something down, smiling at him as she placed it in his jacket's side pocket. Leaning in, she gave him a kiss on the cheek and then waved goodbye.

Connor watched her leave and then slowly made his way back to the table.

"What happened?" Charlie's heart was pounding in her chest.

Connor smiled wide, pulling out the business card from his pocket. "Got her!"

* * *

 **Do comment if you have a moment. Thanks for reading! xoxo**


	9. Chapter 9

**Chapter Nine: Ours**

* * *

The woman turned out to be more elusive than a mythical creature. Connor had tried and failed to set up another meeting. After numerous attempts to get in touch with her, they decided to hand over the little information they had to their lawyers. The following two weeks slipped by like water down the drain with no news whatsoever. There seemed to be no happy ending in sight or any kind of resolve to the accusations. Bass and Charlie were slowly coming to terms with that fact with each passing day.

It was now September, the last days of summer were dwindling away along with the chances of clearing up Bass's image. _The Blackout's_ third season premiere was scheduled for the end of the month in Los Angeles but everyone seemed too burned out to think of any kind of public appearance.

Charlie was curled up next to Bass on the bed, the early morning sun illuminating his bedroom with a warm glow. They'd fallen asleep naked after having a bottle of wine and a drawn out sex session in the terrace the night before. She smiled thinking back to it, her fingers trailing over his perfect jawline.

Bass's eyes slowly opened.

"How do you managed to look so perfect even in the early morning hours?" He muttered, rubbing his eyes with his hand before focusing his gaze on her again.

She smiled, "I love it when you feed my ego."

Bass chuckled. "Just being truthful." Rolling over on his side, he brushed his nose against hers. "Charlie."

She didn't know why but her heart began pounding faster like he was about to say something she wasn't going to like.

"These past few months have been the most amazing experience I could've ever imagined. Even with the whole video nonsense." He said, his voice low and raspy.

Charlie's brow furrowed. "But?" She asked carefully, "I sense a but coming." She caressed his stubble and bit her lip, waiting for his reply. His hairs pricked her fingertips like a soft brush.

He inched a little closer to her, pecking her soft lips with gentle care. Bass was silent, as if unable to formulate any kind of response. He wasn't sure if it was the proper time or way of saying what was on his mind.

He decided to go for it anyway. She deserved to know.

After a few moments his mouth parted. "I love you Charlie."

His eyes, staring at her tenderly were also pleading for a reply. She looked at him surprised but aside from that her pools of blue were indecipherable.

"I know you might think it's too soon for me to say this but I've never been more sure of anything in my life." He was starting to question his timing and also his delivery. "You don't have to say-"

"I love you too Bass." She replied, her face lighting up with a smile. Charlie kissed him, climbing on top of him and staring down at his gleeful blue eyes. "I love you more than I've ever loved anyone." She pressed her lips to his. "And I think your timing is absolutely perfect."

He grunted in satisfaction, pulling her whole body into him and kissing her with fervor. His lips moved from her mouth to her neck, making her center pulse in response as he left an invisible trail of kisses along her collarbone and down her chest. The heat swirling in her belly intensified with every touch.

Charlie snickered as Bass rolled her over on her back. Sighing she took in every kiss and stroke of his hand, letting him show her exactly how much he loved her and determined to do the same in return.

* * *

They had just finished showering when they received a call from Jeremy. He'd been very cryptic about the whole thing, refusing to discuss anything over the phone. They agreed to meet him at one of their favorite spots, a little mom and pop cafe that was still for the most part unknown and therefore one of the few remaining private restaurants in the area.

Charlie had her hair loosely braided, a large pair of sunglasses covering her face. Bass went for a blue baseball cap and shades as well. They entered the cafe hand in hand, spotting Jeremy at one of the booths as soon as they walked in.

He was not alone.

When they approached the table they realized the brunette that accompanied him was the woman they'd been searching for since that night at the club. They stood there for a moment, both speechless and bewildered.

"Well don't just stare, take a seat." Jeremy said, waving down the waitress in the process.

"How…" Charlie muttered eyeing the woman in disbelief and sliding over on the bench.

The now-brunette cleared her throat. "Your cute friend was very persistent."

Jeremy smiled. "Connor finally got a hold of her last night." He rubbed his chin pensively, "We didn't want to say anything until we knew for sure she'd help us."

The waitress set down a couple waters on the table and asked if they wanted anything else. After they all said no, Bass waited for her to leave to say anything.

"You're willing to go public with this?" He asked, clasping onto Charlie's hand underneath the table. She interlaced her fingers with his.

The woman took her hot mug of coffee between her hands and nodded. "That woman lied to me. She said that after the video got distributed I would get offers from all over the place." She took a whiff of her coffee and then sipped. "I had no idea it would be used to taint your image. I thought I was just doing another acting job. I didn't put two and two together until it was published and the internet exploded with news of your supposed sex tape."

Jeremy raised his eyebrows, staring at them silently.

"And why didn't you come forward sooner?" Bass questioned.

She shrugged, "I was scared. Do you realize how insane your fanbase is?" Her eyes flickered between the three of them, "And you would've probably blamed me along with that crazy bitch without even listening to my side of the story."

Charlie and Bass were quiet, unable to refute that assumption. They were still unsure why she had agreed to meet them and what she was expecting in return.

Jeremy leaned forward on the table as if he knew what they were thinking. "She's willing to go public and testify in exchange for our help."

Charlie grimaced. "Our help? How?"

"She wants to file a lawsuit of her own against Duncan, for breach of promise and false representation." Jeremy said. "I think she deserves that and more, don't you?"

Charlie wasn't enthused by the idea. "How involved would we have to be?"

Jeremy shook his head. "She's just looking for some professional connections, nothing more really."

"I don't know Jeremy. Won't it look worse if we help her?" Bass asked, "People are going to think we're paying her to lie about it. Seems like a double edged sword to me." He felt like they were stuck in yet another predicament.

The woman smirked. "Look. I'm just trying to make it in this town just like hundreds of other actors. I want nothing more than to rid myself of this nightmare and to get that woman to pay me what she promised. I'll sign anything you give me, confidentiality contract, whatever you want."

Charlie and Bass looked at each other for a few moments, silently agreeing to what was being asked of them. They nodded, giving Jeremy the okay to take care of the rest.

* * *

It didn't take long for the media to get a hold of the court papers. It was the big entertainment story of the day for almost a week straight. They kept readers hooked by promising to reveal new details with each broadcast and writing up articles like it was world wide news. Charlie's social media feeds erupted with sincere apologies, kind words, and reassurance from those who swore they never doubted Bass's integrity.

After almost a month of disappearing from the public eye, Duncan was spotted again on her way out of court. The fans were relentless, holding up signs and yelling insults as she passed by them. She'd received a hefty fine along with public humiliation and a ruined reputation. There was no way she'd be given the chance to work in the industry again.

Charlie was watching everything unfold on her TV as she finished getting ready for Nora's impromptu cocktail party. She looked at herself in the full length mirror, her red mini dress perfectly enveloping her form. Bass came out of the bathroom, his tie still undone and a toothbrush buzzing in his mouth. He smiled, winking at her in approval before heading back to the sink.

Charlie twirled her hair with her fingertips, giving her curls a little more definition before spritzing a bit of perfume on her neck and wrists.

"You look amazing." He said, quickly knotting his tie.

She smiled. "Thank you, as do you."

He sauntered over, coming up behind her and wrapping his arms around her waist. Bass looked at her reflection in the mirror, "Thank you." He paused to kiss her neck. "Thank you for never doubting me."

She turned to look at him. "Of course. You make it so easy."

He kissed her carefully, afraid that he'd ruined her perfectly colored red lips. He growled almost disappointed that they had plans for the night, "We better get going then before it gets hard." He teased.

Charlie laughed. "Just couldn't help yourself huh?" She cupped his hardening cock.

"Nope." He said, pulling away. "I would love to do so much more to you right now but Los Feliz isn't exactly close. Leave it to your uncle to live as far away from the coast as possible." He grumbled.

* * *

The estate's patio had been transformed into a Midsummer Night's Dream fantasy. The trees were adorned with tiny blue fairy lights and the tables dressed with beautiful arrangements of flowers and white candles. There was an ice fountain near the bar with the most delicious concoction of apple martinis floating through it.

Bass and Charlie felt like they were in a fairytale. The glow of the moon over the scenery only added to the magic and intimacy of the evening. The property sat atop a private hill, secluded from the bustling city and away from busybodies. On any other night, it would've been calm and quiet.

The guests were either friends or acquaintances, there were no unfamiliar faces in attendance. The best part of all, nobody seemed to pay any attention to who they were or what they were doing. They stopped to chat a few times as they headed back to their empty table.

"Of course Nora made place cards." Charlie said, picking up the white folded paper with her name on it and studying its golden lining.

Bass chuckled. "Check out Magic Mike over there." He said, bringing Charlie's attention to the cheering crowd near the DJ.

Not surprisingly, Connor was the first one on the dance floor. Charlie laughed watching him try to lure Jeremy and then Blanchard in with his sensual moves. The way the old man blushed uncomfortably made the long drive to the estate well worth it.

"Oh my god!" Charlie exclaimed. The kid was close to giving the poor old man a lap dance. It was equally scandalous as it was riveting. Everyone was cheering and having the absolute best time watching it go down.

Her stomach was hurting from laughing so hard, she was on the verge of tears. "He's going to be so embarrassed when we tell him he's his new boss." She said.

They hadn't told Connor yet but as a token of appreciation and gratitude, they'd pulled some strings and gotten him a guest starring role on the series. He'd always refused any sort of help from Jeremy, making it clear that he wanted to make it all on his own. But Bass and Charlie couldn't think of a better way of thanking him for all he'd done.

After he was done cracking up, Bass cocked his head to one side, "I love hearing you laugh." He told her. His heart was full of joy, he never imagined the happiness of another would make him feel so complete but Charlie was the only one who'd ever made him feel whole.

They smiled at one another, quickly becoming lost in each other's loving gaze. Charlie fluttered her eyelashes, always taken aback by his ability to make her weak in the knees.

"There's my beautiful niece!" Miles hollered. It seemed like it was in his nature to always interrupt the sweetest of moments between them. "And her not so beautiful boyfriend." He teased.

He hugged them both. "I'm only joking, you know you're a gorgeous son of a bitch." He patted Bass's cheek.

"Thanks Miles." Bass muttered.

Charlie laughed. "Nora really outdid herself this time." She looked around in awe once again, taking in every detail of the stupendously planned party.

"You know her. She wanted to go all out, and who am I to tell her no?" Miles said, waving at Nora from afar. The brunette paced towards them, a martini glass in her hand and a wide smile on her face.

"I'm so happy you two love birds made it!" After an exchange of hugs and pleasantries, she practically pulled them by the hand and took them back to the bar. "You have to try these martinis, they're to die for!"

Once they each had a drink in their hand, Nora raised her glass. "To happier days ahead. Cheers!" They all clanked their glasses.

Bass savored the taste of the drink, the hint of sour apple drenching his tongue. "I take it you have room for us to stay here if we drink too many of these?" He smirked.

"Obviously, this is like your second home." Nora said. After a few moments, she had to bring up the reason for the celebration. "I'm so happy that everything with that woman is finally over. You should've seen my reaction when Jeremy called to give me the news. I practically did naked cartwheels in our living room."

"She really did." Miles confirmed, making them chuckle.

Charlie took a sip of her martini. "We really couldn't have handled it so well without your support. Thank you, both of you."

"You can thank us by enjoying your time here. As soon as Miles mentioned a celebration, I was all over it." She grinned. "This is your party."

"I've learned not to joke about anything in her presence anymore." Miles teased, receiving a well-deserved punch in the arm from Nora.

"I think it's perfect." Charlie said warmly. "Thank you Nora."

She felt a warm hand wrap around her shoulder, turning to find Jeremy and Connor standing next to them.

"You tell them about the guy yet?" Jeremy asked as he greeted them with a hug.

Nora raised her eyebrows, "No! Oh my god." She tapped Charlie's arm. "He could be Bass's doppelgänger. Except he's not as charming as you and not nearly as handsome." She said to him.

Bass chuckled. "Thank god, I was starting to worry there for a minute."

Nora laughed. "I got the call about an hour ago. Apparently he contacted _Tinseltown_ offering to give his side of the story. The guy is a total famewhore, a face made for trash mags."

Connor chimed in. "Which means it's probably not long before we see him on Dancing with the Stars or he gets his own reality TV show."

"You joke about all this now but I'd been so stressed out I don't think I had taken a shit since the story broke." Jeremy said, making the whole group laugh.

"Aww, Jer." Charlie gave him a hug, leaning her head against his chest as she held on to him.

Charlie gave Bass a quick glance before speaking. "Connor, you have no idea how grateful Bass and I are for what you did. We would probably still be holed up at home, hiding from the world if it weren't for you."

Connor smirked. "I just happened to be at the right place at the right time." He replied.

Bass added to Charlie's sentiment. "We thought about a few different ways we could thank you until finally deciding on one thing in particular. We know it's something you've been wanting for a while but you do have to formally accept."

"Guys look, I love you and all but I'm very happy with my man right now. So, I'm gonna have to say no to your threesome invitation." He frowned.

The girls burst into laughter and Miles buried his face in his hands.

"Definitely not one of the options considered, mate." Bass replied shaking his head.

Connor chuckled, "I know. But I just couldn't help it, you set yourself up for that one." He loved putting Bass in awkward situations. He was always such an easy target.

"We want you to guest star on _The Blackout_." Bass blurted out.

Connor's eyes widened and his mouth dropped open. "What?"

"It's a fantastic arc, you're gonna love it." Charlie assured him. "We'd really love it if you said yes. It's the only way we can properly thank you for what you've done for us."

There was a long pause before an ecstatic shriek left Connor's mouth. "I'm going to be in _The Blackout_?" He proceeded to hug them tightly, squealing with excitement and barely giving them any room to breathe.

"I'm guessing that's a yes?" Bass said, his body jolting up and down as Connor began jumping.

"I think I'm gonna cry. You have no idea how happy I am right now. Thank you so much, being on the show will be a dream come true!" He covered his mouth with his hand. "Okay," he tried to calm himself down. "I need to go dance before I start crying. And all of you are going to join me!"

It didn't take much convincing for them to follow him to the dance floor.

It had been weeks since Charlie had felt so carefree. She twirled around to the music, switching from one silly move to another, unleashing her youthful spirit as she interacted with everyone. Even Blanchard got in on the action, trying to keep up with the rhythmic movement of her feet before finally giving up. Bass laughed, taking her hand and spinning her around before bringing her in close.

They danced for minutes on end before the music slowed down to a steadier tempo. Her beautiful smile was enchanting, Bass was more enamored than ever. He leaned into her ear, singing along and murmuring the lyrics to her as they swayed side to side. "I could spend my life in this sweet surrender. I could stay lost in this moment forever."

Charlie beamed, bringing him in for a passionate kiss.

She let him lead her in the dance, cloaked in his embrace until the music faded.

"I could use some fresh air." Charlie said, looking around and realizing they were surrounded by warm bodies.

Bass nodded, taking her by the hand.

* * *

They walked a fair distance away from the patio, and paced along the walkway that surrounded the crystalline blue pool until they were standing along the edge overlooking the canyon. Far away in the distance were the shining lights of the downtown skyline and over to the east the lit domes of the Griffith Observatory.

It all looked so peaceful.

"Are we crazy?" She said, not really expecting a reply. She was just thinking out loud.

Bass looked at her and smiled, "No." He grinned, "On the contrary. I think we keep ourselves sane when the rest of the world around us is going mad."

"Yeah." Charlie agreed. "I think you're right."

He sighed, placing his arm around her and kissing her temple. Everything seemed right in the world again.

"I wasn't sure whether to give you this here or when we got back." He said, searching his pocket. "So I brought it just in case."

Charlie looked at him puzzled. "You got me something?" Her eyes sparkled with curiosity.

"Sort of." Bass pulled out the object from his pocket.

"A key. To your place?" She snickered, holding it between her fingers. "How romantic of you."

He didn't find her response funny.

"Relax babe, I'm only joking. This is perfect, really." She assured him.

Bass cleared his throat. "It's not just the key to my place." He paused, "I was hoping it could be _ours_ from now on."

Charlie's lips parted, for some unexplained reason she became overwhelmed with emotions. "Ours?"

He nodded. "I want you to move in with me."

After the initial surprise had worn off, she wrapped her hands around his neck, nodding and kissing him over and over again. "Okay!"

"Yeah?"

She ran her fingers through his hair, looking deep into his eyes. "I would love nothing more."

They smiled at each other as they kissed, their hearts pattering with excitement.

* * *

 **This story has almost reached its end. I have one more chapter planned + an epilogue. Still a bit undecided about how I'm gonna go about it but I have a few ideas in mind. Thank you so much to those of you who've stuck around even during those long period without updates. As always, your comments are very much appreciated. xoxo**


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